The Broken Seal (Season One)

The Smell of Parix. Simone strolled into the tavern. It was mostly empty. Dim light filtered through the windows, but mostly the cracks in the wall. A lonely-looking girl moved the floor dirt around with a mop.

Simone sat down at one of the tables. It seemed to have been stolen from a shipwreck. She traced the cracks in it, dragging her finger through the dust. This went on for some time. Nobody appeared to be interested in her stomach grumbling.

At last, the girl with the mop moved in her direction. "May I take your order?" she mumbled, mop still in hand.

"Fish soup," she said. It was the most basic of Parixian recipes. Gumbo for the poor, but with a fancy accent. Went over well with the tourists. The cornerstone of any cheap Parixian-style eatery.

After a suspiciously brief while, she returned with the soup. "That'll be two gold."

Simone raised her eyebrow and handed her the coins. She looked at the bowl. It certainly wasn't two gold's worth of soup in size. Perhaps it tasted better than it looked. She hoped so. It looked slimy. She took a bite. It tasted slimy. Like fish water. She spat out a fishbone. They should have named the place The Smell of Armpits.

A few disappointed slurps later, Simone was back on the streets. That should not be how a Parixian restaurant serves, she thought. These people were disgracing her land. But what to do? Fires weren't a very subtle way to remove problems, and the police already had an eye out on her after that unfortunate brewery incident.

The idea struck her gut violently. Open her own eatery! Of course! She'd put them out of business, and make some sweet money in the process. Simone, you're a genius.
Her stomach kicked again. Perhaps it wasn't impressed by her brilliance after all. That soup had really done a number on her.

She ran into an alley. A cat ran out, hissing, a look of terror stamped on its face. Simone re-emerged, wiping her mouth. Now, what would a proper eatery require? She raised her head, contemplating all the mouth-watering things she'd seen and tasted. They lacked the Parixian seas, but replacements could be found.

Diver birds circled in the gay air above. Their caw was unmistakable to her ears. Their eggs were also pretty great. The only ones she'd seen in Norcaster had incredibly bloated prices, though. Probably because it took so much effort to get them, what with the birds nesting so high up. They were fancy stuff. If she could somehow get to those, she'd practically be in business. But unless she learned how to fly, or grew a pair of wings...

Another thought struck her. This time she was pretty sure it wasn't the soup. Not much left of that in her. Perhaps she couldn't fly, but she knew somebody who could. Now, to find him, and recruit him to the cause.

*

"Oh, hey Simone," Aten said, cheerfully, hopping down from the ship's mast. "You look a little green."

"I had a close encounter with soup," Simone said. "But never mind that. I need your help filching some bird eggs."

Aten raised his eyebrows.

"I'll explain on the way, come on." Simone tugged at his arm. "I'll make you lunch."

He jumped ahead of her, eyes alight. Simone grinned. If Aten's stomach could be swayed, so could those of many others, no doubt. She explained her predicament to him along the way. Aten grew more enthusiastic by the minute.

"Food and exercise, in one go? Sounds great to me!"

They parted ways at the shoreline, Aten with instructions to grab as many eggs as possible -- she reassured him this wasn't mating season, and the eggs would not produce babies (or something like that) -- and Simone heading back to town.

What she had to do now was find a place to set up. Renting a building was out of the question. Did she know anybody willing to help her out, for a reasonable price? She hadn't many acquaintances in Norcaster. Not of the good kind. But perhaps, a light in the distance, the glimmer of hope, a solution! Simone grinned wickedly.

*

"You want me to what?!"

The man was the picture of incredulity. His face was scrunched but his eyes were wide, even his beard looked distressed. He was Todd, owner of what had once been a backstreet inn. Simone had crashed into it one drunken night with Danny (having been kicked out of several others) and caused apocalyptic chaos. Or so she was told. She didn't remember any of it.

Looking at the place now, that was fairly easy to believe. She'd recognize those knife marks anywhere, after any stretch of time. And was that a table leg speared into the wall? Sheesh. How could she not remember something so fun?

"Come on, Todd," Simone said. "You're closing up shop, right? This is an opportunity!"

"I'm closing up shop because you wrecked it! And what opportunity, why should I do you any favors?"

"Life is hard out there if you're a disgraced tavern owner," Simone said. She noted Todd's growing rage and continued quickly. "But I'm offering you money! As store owner, you'd get a cut off of everything we make." She sidled closer to him. "Parixian cuisine is fancy, you know, popular with the ladies. Great PR for up-and-coming businessmen."

The banter went on back in forth. Todd's expression mutated into something more pleasing to Simone's gold-coin-eyes rapidly. He had nothing to lose, and she had everything to gain. What could go wrong?

Having received directions to the place via scrying-stone, Aten returned, eggs in hand. The front of the former inn now read, in sloppy writing that appeared to have been carved with a blade: 'Money's Mess Hall'.

Below it was a wide-smiled Simone.

"We're in business."

Danny narrowed his eyes. “Hmm, you’re the expert on this. There enough here to get a small army of pirates stupid drunk?”

The bartender grinned , a dirty look in his eyes. “I’m not sure, I mean fifteen kegs is probably enough, but if I were I would be safe and go with twenty, you never can be too safe.”

Danny frowned, pulling out his bag of coins and giving them a look. With a shake of his head he resealed it. “Tonight isn’t about money, it’s about mom,” he whispered. With a nod and a hum he looked back at the bartender. “Yeah, it is better to be safe-”

“Not so fast!” Aten was at Danny’s side before the door was shut, little barside pretzels decorating the air as the gust of wind hit them. “First off, sorry I’m late, Simone needed my help starting a restaurant? Or a chain of restaurants? I’m not sure, I just got the eggs, but that doesn’t matter. However many resturants has doesn’t change the fact that this man, and his impeccably trimmed facial hair, are trying to rip you off.”

“What?” Danny and the bartender exclaimed in unison, Danny’s a genuine voice of shock and concern, while the bartender sounded more like an uninspired bard.
“Danny, you know liquor better than anyone I know, it’s honestly alarming how familiar and comfortable you are with it. I worry some nights. Don’t let this man’s intimidating figure, yet soft, gentle and reassuring voice fool you.”

Danny turned toward the bartender, letting the gears of his brain loose, examining the events that had unfolded in this trade. “Aten, you elegant savannah bird!” Danny gave him a tight hug, throwing him to the side as soon as his affection need was reached and turning his attention to the bartender. With a glare he slammed a fist onto the bar. “Alright, first thing is-”

“Please, Danny, let me,” Aten pushed Danny away, plucking the trade account out of the bartender’s hand. “Oh, well first thing cut the order in half, and then take that foreign ale off it, fancy isn’t a priority for this event. Danny will have the cheapest, strongest inventory you have, don’t care how bad it tastes, just so long as it goes down and doesn’t kill you.”

Danny nudged Aten, wiggling his hand in a “I could go either way” type gesture.

“Scratch that, whatever doesn't kill you right away. Also, I want twenty percent of this knocked off. See, Danny’s mother, the women being celebrated tonight, was Highness, the pirate queen, and I think that’s all her titles. I’m going to guess you didn’t know that, though, because judging by the shrine in the corner over there,” Aten gestured said corner, where a marble bust Highness sat atop a mahogany and gold encrusted podium, which was bolted to the ground and topped with thick glass to protect the bust, and ornate daggers that sat around her. “I figured you would want to honor her death.” Aten leaned in closer to the bartender, talking too quiet for Danny to hear. “Plus, it would be the least you can do, after you, whether you knew or noth, took advantage of her grieving child. He’s been a bit of a wreck since it happened, just look at him.”

The bartender peered past Aten, who also turned back, watching closely as Danny picked at his nose with his pinking.

“It’s tragic, I know. Before he used to pick with a special passion, but now...look at that flick, there is absolutely no soul. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal? You seem like a reasonable guy, I’d love to be able to leave here knowing it.”

The bartender nodded, wiping away a single tear. “You’re right, I should feel ashamed of myself. Highness was…no, I shouldn’t even mention her name, not after what I’ve done.” He took out a new transaction slip, jotting down what Aten said and handing it back to him. “The kegs will be filled, but it will take a bit.....I’m so sorry, Young Highness.”

The two of them wandered away from the bar, taking up shop at the dart board.

While Danny ordered some waiting ale, Aten reviewed his transaction stub. “Ooo, he didn’t just go down twenty, he only charged for half the order. Guess the guy isn’t so bad afterall.”

Danny shoved a glass of ale into Aten’s chest, patting him on the shoulder. “Aten, what you did back there, that was some impressive work. I don’t even want to know what you whispered to him, it would ruin the magic of it.”

Aten shrugged. “Where I grew up it was required, either you rip off or you get ripped off. Which I never much liked, felt it was a bit underhanded and mean, I just try and be honest and nice, hope they return the favor.”

Danny took a gulp of his own ale. “That’s another thing, I feel like you know so much about me now, Aten, what with the family gathering happening. Which is great, best buddies don’t keep secrets, but I know nothing about you, ya know?”

“Oh,’ Aten put down his glass. “Well, you know my name, and...actually no, my full name is Tu-Akh-”

Danny slapped a palm against Aten’s lips, silencing him. “Stop right there, see that’s boring. When you found out about my family it was all action packed, with blood and explosions and other cool stuff, lacking in lightning though. Aten, buddy, write this down for me, we’re going to need to raise the bar on lightning stuff, I mean I love ya buddy, but I brought you onto the team for a reason. Now…” Danny froze, staring at the air as if watching his train of thought float away. “Dammit, the lightning distracted me. What was I saying?”

“You wanted to know more about me, like how my dad-”

Another palm to the mouth. “See, this is boring just talking? There has to be a way to make it fun, like….OH!” Danny scoped up the pile of darts sitting in the table in front of them. “Okay, we’re going to play a game of darts. I throw one, you throw one, whoever scores worse has to reveal something about their past, and if you lose, you have to show me a fancy-pancy lightning trick.”

Aten picked up a dart, readying his arm to throw. “What if you lose?” His dart pierced the board, landing off towards the right edge. Frowny face.

Danny chuckled, not breaking eye contact as he grabbed a dart, tossing it toward the board. “I don’t lose,” he said, gesturing to the bullseye. “Now, you were saying something about your name?”

“Aten is shorthand, my full name is Tu-Akhenaten, my dad is devote in religion, and in my native tongue it means living spirit of aten, which is the holy word for the sun, which itself is the symbol of god. My dad, he was-”

Palmed. “Too much! Do some lightning and throw another dart!”

Aten chuckled, raising a dart into the air. With a spark the dart shot forward, a trail of lightning following it’s tail as it hit the board, completely out of the circle. “Aw, dart.”

Danny busted a gut. “When I said I never lose I was just being cocky, but” Danny threw his dart, his arm still shaking from laughter as it went. “Dammit, Aten!” The poorly propelled dart never even made it to the board,falling to the ground. “Uh...alright, my middle name is Andrew. And…” Danny pulled three pebbles out of his pocket, making them spin between his palms for a moment, letting them fall to the ground as he swept up another dart and landed a bullseye. “Whew, alright, your turn.”

“Wait, Andrew like long-hand for Andy? How does that-”

Palm’d. “You already know plenty about me, this game is about you, now shoot the dart!” Danny grabbed Aten’s hand, forcing a throw, which landed only a small inch from the bullseye. “Kay, so about your dad?”

“Uh, right.” Aten adjusted his now wrinkled vest. “My dad, well actually let me go back a bit. My grandfather is a priest, and my dad he was supposed to be a priest too, but he wasn’t smart enough. Grand Daddy got angry about that, disowned him because he thought he didn’t love god enough. Instead of being a priest my dad decided to enlist in the church’s army, be a Holy Warrior, and he trained for years to do it. Then, he goes into battle, and within the first minute someone stabs him in the leg, and he can’t fight on it anymore, they kick him out. My dad’s jobless, but he still knows how to use a bow and arrow, so he turns to poaching instead. In fact, that’s how my par-”

“Very interesting, but too much talking, throw a dart.” Danny pointed to the board, which he had already scored a new bullseye on. “And don’t forget the lightning.”

Mouth covered, Aten picked up a dart, his hand flashing bright for a moment as he palmed it. His throw actually landed on the board this time, a beam of lightning sparking off it when it landed, hitting Danny’s own dart and knocking it off the board.

“Aten, after I learn everything about your life, I’m going to teach you how to actually aim. We could make a killing with these trick shots. Maybe even kill with them.” Danny sunk back into his seat, uncovering Aten’s mouth. “Parents, eh? Must be a sweet story, maybe if you get better I can tell you how mine met.”

“I’d love that!” Aten exclaimed, ignoring the mocking tone in Danny’s comment. “My parents….See, my mom, her whole family was built on trading, there wasn’t a day in history that there wasn’t an Isa vendor stall in the Silver Tongue district, she was born for it and loved it. My dad was the opposite, when he started selling game he was getting ripped off left and right, and had no idea, he thought he was doing well for himself.” Aten broke into a breathy laugh. “One day my mom got tired of seeing it, took pity on him and called him over to her stall. Told him how big of an idiot he was, but that she could help him out if he wanted. They made an exclusive deal where he gave all his game to her at a discount, and she would teach him how to barter. She still scammed him, but only a bit compared to the rest of the district. They fell in love slowly, their hearts growing closer every time he brought her a bleeding carcass. They married and became full, non-scammed, partners, in business and life.”

Danny turned away, coughing to hide the sniffle of his nose. “Sounds boring,” he said when he turned back, followed by a forced scoff. “In fact, I don’t even count that as a story, tell me something more interesting...like how did you end up all the way in Celesta?”

Aten bobbed his head slowly, laughing in between words. “Oh...well, see that’s a...it’s a story alright.”

“I’m guessing your awkward grin and laughter, along with forced pausing, it to tell me subtly that you want me to change the subject. Yet, all it’s done is make me more interested.”

Aten frowned, placing his hands on his head as he looked at the giddy bouncing Danny. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise that this stays with us....It’s just...embarrassing.”

“Aten, I am insulted.” Chest puffed out, Danny got up and looked down at Aten. “I would never betray the sacred trust that is best buddies, no matter what happens. No evil in the world could get me to break that trust, it’s like...you’re like my brother, so...bros before foes, you know?”

“Thanks, Danny, that actually means a lot.”

“Then what are you waiting for? I mean, I have a hard time seeing what could be so embarrassing, but I also have a hard time seeing how you ended up in Celesta. And just a hard time seeing, I think all these bright lightnings and explosions are straining my eyes. Anyway, continue.”

Aten nodded, his face in the rare solemn expression. “Alright, so for background information. I’ve always had a thing with language, I learned to read and write when I was real young, thanks to my dad, and those things are rare for adults where I lived. Growing up at the market I was exposed to a lot of foreign traders, and I ended up learning bits and pieces of a lot of languages. I wanted to be a scribe, it seemed fun, and they make good money. Enough to put my Sitto up somewhere nice, get an appointment at a primo matchmaker for my Auntie Rohat, and then my parents could finally have a house to themselves. Then there was my friend, my best friend if I’m being real honest with you, Danny.”

“No, it’s fine.” Danny turned away. “I always figured...I always knew there had to be somewhere else, I’ve come to terms with it. What was his name? Not that I care or anything? Is he an alchemist too? No, don’t answer that, I shouldn’t compare.”

“Uh, his name is Basim. See, the reason me and Basim became friends in the first place was that he asked me if I could teach him how to read, he was always fascinated by reading, it was truly his passion. I taught him, and while he may not have been as good as me, he had the next best thing-”

“Oh! Wait, don’t tell me….was it you? Even though you’re more than second best.”

Aten broke a smile, the first time he had while giving the story. “Yeah, it was me. With my help Basim was able to keep pace, and by the time we reached the proper age we both applied for scribe apprenticeships. We both got accepted, but the price for it was too steep for Basim’s family to spare. It crushed him, and it crushed me too, for me being a scribe was great, but for Basim it was his dream, he built his life around it. I couldn’t take it, I had to figure out a way to get him that money….” Aten took a deep breath. “I went to the black market. I found this guy, he told me he was looking for a tracker, there was some special vulture out in the dunes that he needed to find. I agreed to it, even though he refused to tell me what was so special. I tracked the bird, and brought it back to him in the city, he paid me and then we went separate ways. I went to the scribe that accepted Basim, paid the fee and told him to tell Basim that he got sponsored by a charitable noble. Basim couldn’t know, there would be too many questions, and he would never want to take it if he know how it got paid for.” Aten sighed, letting out a laugh laced with frustration. “It all seemed to work out, me and Basim started our first day, but then….then Dune showed up.”

“Dune as in your dune? The adorable ball of feathers that can also tear your face to shreds?”

“Yeah, that Dune. See, when that shady black market guy hired me to find the vulture, I didn’t just find her, I bonded with her. She really took a liking to me, and I guess she escaped the black market to find me. I was pretty happy as first, my parents never let me keep a pet, always ended up selling them, but now I was living away from home. It was great, until it wasn’t. I was walking to the market, and Dune was perched on my shoulder, when a guard stopped me in the street. That’s when I found out what was so special about Dune, why she was worth so much. She was a royal bird, the personal pet of one the Pharaoh's, never found out which, and that guy in the black market had stolen her.”

“...And then they thought you were the thief.” Danny’s tone dropped three measures of excitement.

Aten shook his head. “Exiled me.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

The two of them sat in silence for awhile, Aten draining his ale while Danny just started at his own. It didn’t seem right, Aten was always so happy and excited, this didn’t seem like the story of the hopeful optimist that was Aten. There had to be more to it, but it didn’t seem like the time to do it. The bartender called them from the back, their kegs had been filled and loaded into a carriage in the back.

The two of them walked back in silence, Aten twirling Dune’s whistle in his hands. “She wouldn’t leave the ship, when we docked. Never goes into cities, always stays by the border when I have to go in, I think she feels nervous, like something bad will happen. Can’t blame her, considering her history. ”

“It must be rough,” Danny said. “Knowing you can never see your family or friends again.”

Aten nodded, tears pooling in his eyes. “Listen, Danny...can we just-”

“No, Aten, I have something to say.” Danny put his hands on Aten’s shoulders, forcing him to make eye contact. “My mom is dead, and my dad….well my mom is dead, so I think I know a bit about being forced to say goodbye. I’m a bit of a mess, you know that, but I’m mostly good,and you want to know why? Don’t care, cause I’m telling you anyway. Because I have the crew, I have Simone and Anka, and Pilen and Leigh...and I have you. I know you’re still new to this place, you might now be as quick to call the rest your family, but Aten, I consider you mine, so that makes us it, whether you like it or not.”

Aten wiped the tears out of his eyes. “Danny, you may be a criminal, and I may not be all the way on board with your opinions on women, gold and murder, but...I’m glad to have you as family.”

“Fantastic!” Danny exclaimed, giving Aten a pat on the back hard enough to bruise, and climbing into the carriage’s driver seat. “Now, as family, let’s take this carriage of booze down to the dock, get stupid drunk with a bunch of violent sea-criminals, and you can tell me the story of how you went fro Naz-Ahir to Celesta.”

Aten jumped in beside Danny. “That story is actually pretty uneventful. It all started in a desert oasis, a small squad of crocodiles had me and Dune pinned, and that’s when the caravan showed up….”

Tim's speech was interrupted at least twenty times, almost every line he stated reminding somebody in the quickly turning drunk crowd of a story of their own they had to interrupt with, and of course, everybody wanted to hear it because it was all about Her Highness.

This went on long enough Pilen, Anka, Aten, Simone, and Danny had all come back from wherever they had wandered off to, Anka and Pilen around Leigh, the rest around Andy.

"Wonder how long this'll go on," Anka said. "I'm sure Danny wants to go find the other gems already."

Pie looked up. "What?"

Leigh licked vis lips. "He wants to break the seal."

"Oh! Sounds fun!"

I could give you a whole essay on why that statement is incorrect, but this is supposed to be a party.

Finally Tim simply gave up and ended with "She was a wonderful mentor to me and a dear friend."

Ve raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly how he'd made such a close bond with that crotchety old queen. Of course, Leigh wouldn't exactly want to be completely and totally honest with this crowd. Still, if those were honest statements...

Anka poked Leigh's shoulder. "You're looking at him like Danny looks at beer. What's your story?"

Ve simply shrugged. "A situation... outside of our control forced me away from Dreamer's Rest. By the time we could see each other again, I was in Allons and had moved on."

She laughed. "That's not how it looks to me!"

A small smile pulled at vis lips. "It is nice to see him again."

Pie poked vem with her staff. "Leigh has a cru-ush!"

Ve shook vis head. "Call it whatever you want." No matter what you do, it's over.

A thought struck vem, forming before ve had a chance to stop it. Unless he comes with us.

Tim finished going through a veritable receiving line of people telling more stories, offering more condolences, and came back to their little group. "Still on the outside, as always."

Leigh rolled vis eyes. "And get tangled in that crowd?" Vis smile still hadn't left. In fact, it got a little bigger. "Not a chance."

Any reply Tim was going to make got cut short by a delivery of another twenty kegs, the crowd acting more like a pack of hunting dogs who just spotted a fox than human beings— and the delivery man was acting every inch a fox.

"Before the party begins!"

The pack turned towards Andy— giving the delivery man a chance to escape— shifting so uncomfortably you could almost hear the high pitched whines of them demanding to get their prey.

"We should put my mother's body to rest at the cliffs. Then we can properly celebrate, without a single interruption!"

Instead of whines, there were grumbles that turned to a general chorus of "good idea"s and other affirmations. Everyone, including Leigh's small mini group, even if Tim did have to grab vis hand and drag vem forward the first few steps, moved towards the cliffs. Ve'd rather be anywhere but the front of the group. It was easier to vanish that way.

Ve heard Andy and Danny whispering, followed promptly by "you're going to do what?" from Andy. Gods knew why Danny told his brother about the plan, but he had, and Leigh wasn't about to stop him. Maybe Andy would talk some sense into the man.

The gang all ended up in a loose circle around a somehow already washed body, even if the smell of hours-old death— a very specific subset of it, one the scholars at the Rest had smelled many times as the mistweavers did autopsies— permeating the air. The rest of her Highness' servants were behind them, now somewhat less distressed they had to wait before getting drunk.

Simone, surprisingly, was the first to step forward. "As the rightful queen—" she shot a glance at Pie "—it is an honour to return her to earth and the waves. She was a champion of the seas, and may her memory long outlast her.

"The pirate queen is dead, long live the pirate queen!"

The crowd roared, Simone staying and waving at the people who were now her new subjects even if she wouldn't be there to rule them.

Andy stepped up next. "My mother was a determined spirit who never did cease to amaze me. Throughout it all, only Neptune himself could claim her and return her to the waves."

Leigh shook vis head, murmuring to Tim. "Cancer, wasn't it? That's the smell."

He nodded. "Finally became visible on her skin. I'm amazed she was up and walking so close to the end."

The star of war was often the star of death.

Danny and Anka joined Andy around the body, each shifting their stance into a braced position. Leigh felt the faintest rumble under vis feet; a few moments later, ve noticed Donna's body slowly sinking into the earth.

Soon, she was covered, and Andy stepped around the grave until he was facing the water. "Neptune, the Queen is now yours."

All three of them slammed their feet down, forming a crack around the gravesite. The earth shuddered, tearing away from the cliff and inch by inch lowering down to the ocean below.

"Want to go for a walk?"

Leigh simply nodded, not even looking at Tim. Ve ducked around him and into the narrow open space between crowds and a multi-story drop. He followed, hands so close ve could almost feel them on vis cloak; they disturbed air currents, a small reassurance he was there.

Once they were out of the crowds, Leigh pulled vis hand out for Tim to take; he did.

"Haven't done this in a long time."

Ve looked down. "Hadn't realized how much I missed it."

He snorted. "Well if you were continent hopping as much as you said, I don't think you had much time to think about the Rest."

Ve licked vis lips. "I thought about it. I just didn't miss much. I missed you, but not..." Ve sighed. "I couldn't go back after being pushed off a cliff, tripping over Helen's body."

Tim drifted away, grip loosening on vis hand. "I always wondered how you survived that."

Ve took the hint and retracted vis hand completely, cracking a smile despite vemself. "Talents crop up under stress."

They kept walking in silence. The sound of the funeral faded away until there was nothing but sea breeze. Even the terribly potent grating of stone on stone as the alchemists slowly lowered her Highness into the water was leaving. Tim was drifting towards the cliff face, Leigh keeping an eye on it as they got within two feet. This was all too familiar.

"You have a talent for becoming a traitor."

Leigh froze, backing up two steps just to get behind him and a little farther away from that cliff edge.

He whirled. "After Gwendoline took over as head of the school, she taught us to be loyal to those who made us. She made us. Dreamer's Rest made us. And you abandoned that."

Ve pulled vis staff out, grip tense and every drop of blood dangerously cold. "It was her army that pushed me off!"

"And her people treated us better than you ever did! Better than any former Scholar did." He pulled a dagger out from a concealed sheath at his back. "And she gave me the mission to get rid of them. Those who didn't get rid of themselves."

Leigh kept vis staff at ready, keeping vis voice purposely even. "I know I hurt you by leaving the Rest for so long. By not contacting you. I couldn't, with her army there trying to kill every Astronomer within range. By the time it was safe, I'd moved on. Please, Timothy, know why I didn't go back. It hurt too much— more than missing you. I didn't want to walk the halls with so many people missing. I didn't want to see the bloodstains."

He tightened his grip. "We learned to live with it. You could've, too."

All Leigh heard after that was a sonic boom.

Ve landed on vis back, air out of lungs and cliff far too close for comfort. Timothy's knee was on vis stomach, dagger raised and ready to spill blood. "Goodbye."

Lightning struck his dagger before he had a chance to move.

Ve shoved vis hand up, sending a direct blast of air into his chest to get him off. One more chance. Ve'd give him one more chance.

"You can still love the Rest and see past it," ve said. "We might've had the biggest library in Europa, but we don't have anywhere near all the knowledge. All Gwendolyn wants is the information to get the Seal. That's why she invaded in the first place. Once she's got that, she'll toss you aside just like she pushed me off the walls."

"You're a heretic."

His chance was gone.

"And you're a fanatic."

Leigh swiped vis staff in a semicircle, orb hitting a cyclone forming around him. He redirected the energy, sending the explosion directly into vem in the blink of an eye.

The cliff fell out from under vis feet, nothing but the sound of air rushing past vis ears. Ve closed vis eyes and focused, drawing all energy into a form it was not yet meant to be in.

Wings snapped out, levelling vem off meters above the water.

Leigh knew ve didn't have the energy to climb. The rocks below reached up like clawed fingers, hiding any safe place to crash land. The cliffs thankfully tapered away soon, revealing beaches probably made by other funerals.

Ve landed in rocky sand, first on vis feet, then on vis knees. Shudders tore at vis chest and forced vem down lower, the sheer cost of that talent barely being worth life.

"Look who we have here."

Leigh's head snapped up, vision focusing on three people all of a few feet away.

"Jessica," ve panted. "Damien. Jordan!"

Damien crossed his arms. "Gwendolyn thought you might have wings. And your friends are probably looking for you by now. They're the ones with the stone, aren't they?"

Jessica stepped up, pulling out her short sword. "Should probably keep Lee for ransom, don't you think?"

Pure, unbridled fury rose up in vis veins, burning until ve had the energy to stand and face them. "Not if I take you first."

Jordan chuckled. "The weak on their knees kitten wants to fight. How cute."

Damien took vem full on, knocking vem back but using too much momentum. Leigh took it and continued rolling, throwing him back into the water before facing them again.

They were closer. Vis reaction time was slower. Jessica flashed up and had her sword against vis neck, wrenching vis arm around to vis back.

"Now just hold still," she whispered in vis ear. "And this'll be over soon."

"Never."

Ve forced a ball of lightning to explode behind vem, throwing her back but leaving vis consciousness just weak enough for Jorden to swoop in and go for a chokehold this time.

Vis hands flew to his forearm, fingers wrapping around it and giving the smallest amount of space required to turn vis head away from the cloth he was trying to press to vis face.

But just like the wings, that trick only worked once.

He got the cloth against Leigh's nose and mouth a moment later. Ve inhaled in shock, lungs filling with chloroform.

Vis grip dropped away by the next inhale.

To Danny, the most touching idea of his mother's funeral was that her ever-drifting grave would a.) never sink for being both earth- and airbent during the sealing of the grave, b.) never smell as it drifted through the world as her body had been sealed into a perpetual flame courtesy of Pilen and c.) would never be opened, courtesy of Leigh's rune of immunity.

It was touching, in a way, that all his friends had cared enough to help him think up such a genius burial.

"The sonicboom was a nice touch, Aten." Danny watched solemnly as his mother drifted out to sea for the last time.

"I didn't do any airbendy stuff after you sealed the stone."

"Oh," he replied emptily. "Then I guess nice touch, Leigh." He turned to find vem, but instantly lost his thoughts as ve simply was not there. He put his hands on his hips and scoffed. "Well that's rude! Leaving during a funeral is a rude thing to do." He paused. "It's what rude people do."

Andy scanned the small crowd and scratched the back of his head. "Come to think of it, Timmy left, too." Anka kept her stare on the open ocean, quiet and alert as an ever-gazing stone on a cliffside.

"I guess they went back down to the party."

"Yeah, we'd better hurry back, too, or all the booze will be gone."

"Not to mention The Pirate Queen has a business to look after now."

Danny took Aten's and Simone's hands as they began to walk from the cliffside. Anka stopped them with an upcropping of rocks.

"You idiots are so keen on getting back to the party to drown out your mother with booze that you haven't been listening properly."

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "All I hear are waves."

"Not to the air, dumbass!" She scoffed. "To the earth." She pointed directly northeast, to the part of the coast that crumbled into sandy rocks and small crops of beaches. "That astronomer is so dumb for someone who studied at Dreamer's Rest!"

Andy and Danny closed their eyes to extend their senses through the ground. "Oh no."

"And there you have it, half-wit! Your precious androgyne is about to die, and you're off to party with pirates!"

"No! We're going." Aten nodded behind Danny. "Leigh is a part of our family. A weird part that doesn't make sense half the time and gives me headaches whenever ve quotes poets I haven't read because I can't read--" Simone snickered. "--but ve's a part of our family! Let's go!"

Andy stayed back while the others took off to the northeast. Danny stopped to turn to him.

"Why aren't you coming?"

Andy was silent as the wind rolled between them. Waves crashed beneath the cliffs. "I have business of my own to take care of." He paused. "If we're gonna finish Ma's quest, then we're gonna do it right. I'm gonna get an Airship from the barracks and convince its crew to fly us to Celtincrown. Basically, I'm gonna get us an army."

Danny nodded. "We'll get Leigh and meet you back at the landing pad." They parted ways. Danny ran to catch up with the others, huddled behind bushes on the cliffside. Simone was antsy, ready to pop into a battle royale without strategy; Aten had her pinned back.

"Simone, please!" he whispered, "If we play this right, we can beat them before they know what's hit them!"

Leigh was down below in chains, surrounded by three astronomers. Danny grazed his fingers across the hilt of his sword and scanned their weaponry. One had a greatsword - the one he'd need to distract to keep the others safe. The other two had staves. "Aten," cut Danny, "Take out one of the casters. The swordsman is mine. Simone and Anka will tear down the other caster while you draw her fire."

Aten nodded and grabbed his bow, charging an arrow with an electrical current. "Paralysis in three, two, one!"

A lightning bolt struck the cliffside beneath their feet, sending the team free-falling off the ledge. Danny dug his sword into the rock and stopped their fall by jutting a cropping of stone halfway down. Their attacker spun from his perch on the cliff and landed on the beach in front of the others. Timmy.

"This is not an assassin's game, unfortunately for you lot." He dangled a bag out in front of his face and held out his hand. "My friends have no intention of killing this traitor of a Scholar. In fact, we only want a bit of leverage! Give us that pretty stone your mother left you and we'll be on our way back to Dreamer's Rest with no blood shed."

Leigh groggily raised vis head and tried to speak, but the swordsman brought a mail boot down on vis temple.

"What do you say, Dawson? It's an easy exchange. I know your mind is pretty simple, but even you can do the math!"

Danny felt in his tunic pocket where he'd stowed the stone. A pang of guilt struck his chest and, for the first time in a very long time, thought of his life being less if he were to lose someone he'd just met.

"Danny, I don't trust these hoodlums," spat Anka. "Go see if he's lying."

Danny nodded and slid down the remainder of the landslide, holding out his hand to Timmy's.

"What's this all about?"

"I want you to shake my hand and agree that no harm will come to Leigh once I hand over the stone."

Timmy smiled wryly and slid his palm against Danny's mail grip. "You have my word that I will not harm Leigh if you surrender the stone to me."

Danny narrowed his eyes and retrieved the stone, placing it in Timmy's hand. "Now release Leigh!"

"That was not, my stupid friend, part of the bargain." He swung his staff from his cloak and blasted Danny back several yards with a point-blank gravity surge. Danny fell to his knees, his weight seemingly multiplied by ten all at once.

"Jessica! Get us out of here immediately."

The female caster's eyes glossed over light pink as she murmured an incantation. Their bodies began to glow, and, as Simone struck into action to cut Timmy down, they vanished.

Andy waved them over, raising an eyebrow after he gave the gang a quick scan. “You’re short.”

“I am not short, you son of a--wait, you mean Leigh.”

“Yeah, I do.” Andy sighed. “What happened?”

“Timmy said if we cooperated that Leigh would be safe, but after we struck a deal he double crossed us, took us by surprise and ran off to Dreamer’s Rest. With Leigh.”

“Hold up, what do you mean cooperate? What kind of deal did you make?”

Danny looked away.

Andy clenched his fist, a hunk of rock flying into the air as he did. “You gave him the stone? Sea gods, Danny, what were you thinking?”

“It’s nothing we can’t take care of it when we go to get Leigh-”

Andy charged forward, grabbing Danny by his collar. “Who said anything about we? You’re the one that gave up the stone, this is your mess to clean.” Andy let Danny go with a push, caught by Aten and Simone. “I’m keeping my course to Celtincrown, when you’re done fixing your fuck up you can meet me there.”

“Hey!” Aten slumped Danny onto Simone, appearing in front of Andy before he could turn. “Yeah, Danny may have messed up a bit, but it’s a lot easier to judge when you weren’t the one stuck in the moment, but either way, that is no way to treat your brother.”

Andy chuckled. “Hadn’t you heard? We’re not brothers anymore, Danny’s own words. Told me that once mom was dead there was no more blood between us.” Andy pushed Aten aside, talking to Danny. “Isn’t that right?”

Danny spat at the ground, pushing himself off Simone and looking Andy right in the eye. “Yeah that is right, and thanks for reminding me why.” Danny jerked his head to gesture Aten back over. “Come on, we can find our own way to Dreamer’s Rest.”

“So long as you find your way back with the stone,” Andy called back, strolling up the ramp into his airship.

“Not to be critical,” Aten said, hand planted on Danny’s shoulder. “But, what is our way there? Even if there was an available airship, which Andy took the last of, there is no way we have the cash to rent it.”

Danny stopped, looking around the area like the way would come out of thin air. With a clap he pointed out in the distance, a spec in the sky creeping towards them. “Found it.” Danny turned to the rest of the group. “We’ll take that one.”

Simone snorted. “Danno, money, remember? We don’t got enough money for one of them.”

Danny shook his head, frowning like a disappointed father. “No, you guys, we’re not renting the airship, we’re-”

“Taking it…” Pilen repeated. “The engine rooms on those things….” She started bouncing up and down, little puffs of flames dancing around her feet. “I can’t believe we’re stealing an airship!”

“Cause we’re not, I’ll be sure to return it,” Danny replied, head tilting into his next words. “In my will.”

________

Anka shook her head. “You all have a deathwish.”

The group nodded in agreement, sans Simone who was busy picking at something in the back of her mouth and ignoring the stream of blood pouring from her mouth in the process. “But we have you, to make sure none of our wishes are granted!” Aten said with a grin.

“Yeah, like a reverse genie,” Pieln added.

“A Re-Genie?” Danny said to Simone.
“GeRenie?” Simone replied.

They both shook their heads, pressing their hands to their chins and faux-thinking for a moment before turning towards Anka, speaking in unison “Ah! What about Granny?”

Anka closed her eye, a little grin on her face as she smacked the air, a rock mimicking the gesture across Simone and Danny’s faces. She stepped across their bodies, which sprawled together on the ground, and looked Pilen and Aten down with a sweeter grin. “They’re fine, just need to teach them some sense. Some women aren’t as forgiving as I when it comes to their age.”



“Now, help me get those two back up. Your plot may be asking for trouble, but something tells me there’s more in it for that astronomer if we don’t.”

Once Danny and Simone were conscious, the group gathered in a rhombus formation. Anka and Danny formed the center two points, both in wide bending stance, with Simone standing between them in the back, a large puddle of water at her feet. At the front Aten and Pilen stood huddled together, looking like they were nearing the end to an imaginary rollercoaster line.

“Ship is a bit too far to be sure, but it looks like a ten man,” Pilen briefed. “Engine rooms on those usually require two men, with two more reserved for pilots on the top deck. Six will be scattered, assuming they're bringing cargo back they'll prepping it, so there should be a bit of time when all six are on the main deck. That’s our best bet, got it?”

Aten nodded. “You sure know a lot about airships, how come?”

She pointed to her tool belt. “They’re engineer heaven.”

“On my count!” Danny raised one foot in the air, Anka mimicking his movements. “One!” Anka and Danny stomped the ground, fracture lines snaking out from under them, forming a circle around Aten and Pilen. When the lines met they winces, their knees buckling down as if the air itself was forcing them to their knees. “Two!” Pilen and Aten dropped into a knee stance, their hands planted to the round on either side. Danny and Anka raised their arms, pushing back against the force above them, causing the earth to shake between the cracks. Steam rose behind them, the water in front of Simone raised up, spinning so fast it boiled in the air. With a huff, “Three!” Their arms broke through the invisible barrier, the earth under Aten and Pilen jutting into the air, the two of them standing on it as a platform as they were launched into the air. Underneath them the boiling water ball crashed into them as a geyser, speeding their ascent. In the center Pilen and Aten were screaming, the adrenaline flushing their systems, their hands gripping into the rock in vice-grips.

Under them the rock began to crack and crumble away, the strain of the air too much for it to take. “GO!” Danny’s sky-piercing howl was right on time, Aten and Pilen releasing their death grips and jumping off of what little rock was left under them, the debris falling to the ground under them. Once free in the air, Aten pulled Pilen into him, using his freehand to unsheathe his sword and thrust it overhead, a burst of electricity and air giving them a wobbly final leg into the air, balancing flames extending from Pilen’s spare appendages to keep their personal lightning bolt from sending them crashing to the ground.

Aten and Pilen had shut their eyes to the world, the reality of possible death truly hitting them as they broke the troposphere. It terrified them enough that they didn’t notice when Aten’s sword pierced the hull of the airship, and only did when Aten felt his arm begin to ache from keeping the two of them in the air.

Aten’s face lit up, his mouth opening wide, only to be covered by Pilen prematurely. They exchanged looks of childlike glee in silence, the excitement making them momentarily oblivious to the several mile plummet at their feet. Pilen had to move first, climbing over Aten and standing on him to get a look over the edge of the ship. She dug into her pocket, pulling some hodgepodge contraption out of her toolbelt and lobbying it onto the deck, after a second there a dull pop, and Pilen climbed up, hooking a rope to the guard rails before ducking out of sight.

Aten climbed the rope, pausing once he reached the edge of the ship to check his surroundings, failing to wiggle his sword out of the hull as he did so. Pilen was crouched behind a pair of crates by the stairs below, poised to go once the coast was clear, there were four crew members spread about the top deck, and Aten could just make out the heads of two more coming up the stairs. Pilen turned around, tapping her ears and giving Aten a “Go!” gesture, and then grinning again, mouthing what looked like “This is so awesome!” her fingers spazzing about while held to her chest.

“Time to shine.” Aten reached into his pocket, pulling out a whistle and placing it firmly between his lips. Gripped the railing, pushing off the hull of the ship with his legs and flipping off, the whistle producing an ear stabbing pitch as he vaulted to the center of the deck. The crew sprinted towards him, weapons drawn by the time he landed, but they stopped short of him, instead gathering in a circle to trap him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Pilen run below deck, finally breaking the silence when the last of her was out of sight. “Hello,” he said, waving and smiling like them. “You guys looks really confused, anything I can do to help?”

Silence. Behind Aten a crewman took a step forward, his sword held out, but his arm unsteady as he approached, moving into a charging stance when Aten didn’t turn to him. In front of him one of the crewmen’s eye widened, Aten turning back with enough time to turn away from the stab. Grabbing him by the arm, Aten turned the man’s charge against him, throwing him to the ground, his back cracking against the deck. Inspired by fear, two more men ran in to challenge, Aten ducked below their thrusts, sweeping their legs out from under them, palm striking them in the gut to force their falls.

“Why can’t these things ever go peacefully?” Aten frowned, and turned to the remaining three deck members. “I didn’t instigate, I only reacted, and barely at all really, the worst those three may have is a light bruise. You seem like you could be an agreeable hostage, if you applied yourself enough, which I think, deep down, you want to.” Aten grabbed some rope from the railing, tossing it towards the three of them. “Can’t trust those guys, they already attacked me once. Help me tie them up and I’ll get you a comfortable place to wait out the hi-jacking.”

“Cute.” Aten turned toward around toward a deep, rasping voice. The door to the pilot’s dek was opened, the captain strolling out of it. “Seems to think that disposing a few idiots makes him the king. Ain’t that funny boys?” Behind Aten the crew started laughing, spewing out some generic yew-man gargin. “Now clean up your mess, I might be lenient.”

The crew pounced, a wave of clumsy out of sync blades, Aten leaping into the air to dodge, kicking a puff of air at their backsides to stagger them. “Come on guys, I thought we were starting to bond.” Aten weaved through the next wave, pushing and bouncing off of them like a pinball. “Honestly, I feel hurt, I tried to do something nice for you guys, and this is how you repay me.” The three of them trapped him in, their blades held to him in a triangle. Aten pouted, pointing to the captain. “Look at him, he’s a bully!” Eyes away Aten ducked down, sweeping their legs and grabbing the swords as they fell from their grips, tossing them off the ship.

“Do you really want to work for someone like that?” Even without their blades they charged in, fists raised up as they went in. “I’m not angry, maybe disappointed, but I get it, he must be a scary boss.” Aten stomped the deck, his heel digging into the hilt of a disarmed sword and flipped it into the air for him to grab. A blade of air whipped across the deck, meeting the crewmembers are head level, knocking them off their feet and to the ground with a nasty crack. “Sorry.”

“You will be!” Aten didn’t even have time to turn, the club swung into his back like a bat, knocking him straight across the deck and into the railings. The wood cracked under his weight, bits of debri decorating his body as he lay there, trying to fight the pain. The captain didn’t speak as he approached, but his loud wood-creaking steps and sprawling shadow let Aten know when he had reached him. “Before I toss you overboard, I gotta know. How did you even get here? I’ve seen astros fly, but never this high.”

Aten coughed, a puff of sawdust spewing out. “It wasn’t a solo effort.”

The captain howled, The realization of another threat hit him, just as Pilen’s fireball did, the scorching orb digging into the square of his back. His hands flew behind him to pat out the flames, his club dropping to the floor with a boom. While the captain panicked Pilen circled around, sending another fireball onto his chest. The fire consumed his shirt, sparks even igniting the puffs of chest hair poking out from his collar. Pile readied another fireball, but killed, the captain’s spastic efforts to kill the flames making her bust a gut with laughter, even letting her staff dropped as she reached out to grab a mast for support. While her eyes were shut, the captain found his calm, pulling his shirt off and throwing the flames away, the fire leaving him with some questionable manscaping.
Pilen didn’t have enough time to regroup, the captain slamming her against the mast, she crumbled to the ground and the captain kicked her towards Aten, then gave Aten a nice stomp for good measure.

“For your sake, I hope that was your only friend, cause I doubt I’ll be as nice to the next one.” The captain leaned over, grabbing both of them by their shirts, hanging them off the side of the ship. “Now, who wants to go first?” He pulled Aten close to his chest, using his head to scratch his chin. “Ah, why squabble, you can both go first.” The pain blurred Aten’s senses, but he could still feel the grip loosening, his own weight dragging him closer down to the end. He heard a sharp noise in the distance, his earing already having packed for check out. There was a push, and Aten felt his body swing backwards, the grip holding him above gone he fell, but instead of the long fall of doom, his ass quickly meet the deck. Odd enough, more pain seemed to reboot his system, and his sight came back in full. Behind him the captain was stumbling backwards, a puff of rusted red latched onto his face, his yaoi sized hands trying to tear it away. With a scream he did, tossing it to the away and knocking himself off balance.

“Dune!’ Aten cried, running over to the bird, picking her up and stroking her head. “I hoped you would hear the whistle, I tried finding you at the docks, but I guess you flew off for dinner.”The bird nodded, gnawing at a fresh piece of torn flesh. “Alright, let’s go get the rest.”

“Just a sec.” Pilen was finishing off the captain, whacking at him with her staff until he begged her to stop, which she graciously answered, slamming it into his head to knock him out.

Once she was done she tossed some rope to Aten to tie up the rest of the crew and headed to the Pilot’s Deck, which still had a man at the wheel. A few fireballs were enough to charm into lowering the ship, and agreeing to chauffeur them to Dreamer’s Rest.

Leigh scrunched vis eyes shut, sounds filtering through a drug-fogged mind and violently rolling stomach. Ve coughed and swallowed down bile. However, what had made vem so nauseous escaped all attempts to capture it.

Explosions. Vibrations shaking through earth and even the air, rendering nausea worse.

Ve choked on air until the vibrations stopped, and with it the rolling stomach. Finally ve opened vis eyes, blurs of colour registering somewhat familiar pinpricks of memory, snatches of study sessions and knocking over everything with a windstorm meditation.

My... room... at the Rest...

Leigh forced vemself up from a bed— vis old bed, sheets as if they'd been washed yesterday.

Maybe they had been.

The smell of books, wood polish, and the sharp, dry mountain air filled with too much static electricity from too many astronomers practicing too many spells touched on every sense. Vis memory was a scatter of old petty arguments, of fights, of training till ve threw up, water buckets held on shoulders and perching on platforms too small for feet just to feel the wind.

Ve rubbed vis forehead and managed to sit up. Air. Wind rushing past vis body. Wings.

Chloroform.

Timothy.

Senses returned with the onset of fury, albeit still clouded with traces of gas and a splitting headache coming from vis temple. Sharp, rhythmic clicks of metal against polished wood floors came from somewhere outside the room, driving the pain deeper.

Hinges groaning loud enough to wake the dead pierced what little of vis mind was left. The door opened, letting in a welcome gust of moving air.

A woman dressed in a blue-purple strode in, gold heeled shoes continuing to make that infernal clicking, circular gold pendant with details ve couldn't quite make out with still cloudy vision shining at the top of her sternum. The only word Leigh could think of was regal, and the only emotion ve could conjure was distrust.

"Welcome, Lee." She held out her hand, as if she expected vem to kiss it. "I'm Gwendolyn."

"Welcome aboard the S.S. Persephone!"

"That ain't the name of this ship, lass," the pilot of said S.S. Persephone piqued up. He probably would have furthered his protests too, had a small ball of fire not hit him directly in his open mouth.

"Any other objections?"

"Maybe," Danny smiled, "whenever your fingers cool down. Good work guys!"

"Thanks," Aten replied, stepping aside to let the crew on.

Of course, they all boarded in a flurry of energy. Pilen lagged behind and watched them all with a sad smile. She felt her feet trying to carry her away but planted her heels in defiance against her heart. Every change of the Sun's position in the sky reminded her of how little time she had to spare. Every spark of rage - all the times she felt fire at her finger tips that she didn't authorize - let her know that the end was dawning on her short life.

If she was smarter, cared less about saving Leigh or being with her crew, she would have ran. Pilen was smart, but obviously not smart enough. Thankfully though, she was greeted with a mug she was way too eager to take. She downed the thing in a few gulps and stuck out her cup for more, with a smile.

"That's my girl," Danny cried. "Someone get her a refill!"

"Ay!"

One of the crew hurried to top Pilen off and she thanked him with a hug, more because she felt like she needed one than anything he'd done. He returned the gesture awkwardly and slunk back off to wait in line to be tied up. Pilen watched his back and was content to stalk off to the engine room and hide in there for a while before she was stopped by Anka.

"You've never been the drinking type, Pilen. Why the sudden change?"

"This is not sudden, Anka. Far from it, actually."

She saw a deep line of worry start to form on Anka's brow and kissed it away softly.

"I'll be okay. Don't you worry. I'll be fine."

--

She'd never been in an engine room before, much less the engine room of an air ship, and even less than that the engine room of an air ship while completely wasted. Honestly, she nearly lost her mind. But, more realistically than a full mental breakdown over the complete awesomeness of the air ship, she lost her lunch. Multiple times.

And then she lost consciousness.

Anka's brow creased as Pilen scampered down to the engine room. In all of the time she was in the group, Anka had never seen her drink that much that quickly. "When something like that happens, it either means you're hiding something, or... you've got nothing to lose."

She walked back to the group. Danny was roaring about some joke someone said, and Aten was doubled over one of the tables, gasping for air. Irony at its finest, Anka thought with a smile.

She walked over to the group and tapped Danny on the shoulder. "We need to talk."

He laughed a bit longer and turned to her, "Can't this wait? We're celebrating, as you should be also!" He motioned in the general direction of the others. "Someone get Granny a mug! What a better way to end off a successful day."

"Successful? Leigh was captured," Anka growled.

"Oh, yeah. A successful night then, to compliment the day." He brought up his mug drowsily, "I'll drink to that."

There were several cheers of agreement from the group. Simone downed the rest of her mug and snatched the sailer's mug next to her. "You don't need this as much as I do, darling," she added that last touch with a snarl.

"Simone," Anka took Danny's mug away from him and held it out to her, "take care of this while Daniel and I have a talk." She took it without a glance of doubt. Danny made a grabbing gesture, much like a toddler after its favorite toy had been taken away from it. "That's enough of that for now." She grabbed his ear and practically dragged him to the top deck.

"She's gonna drink the rest of that." He made a hopeless snatching gesture at the stairs behind them.

"There's enough to go around for days, even with you on board."

"Is that a challenge?" He snickered to himself. "Don't try me with challenges."

"You are despicable. Acting like a child." She reached for his hand, but he jerked but somewhat clumsily. "Give me your hand."

"What if I want to keep my hands to myself?"

Anka snorted. "Like you can do that." He shrugged in half agreement and held out his hand. In an instant, Anka pulled out a small, delicate ring with a smooth, glossy purple stone in the socket. She wiped off the stone with a finger and it was alit with a soft glow.

She shoved it on Danny's pinkie and he shrieked. "What the hell did you do to me? And why is this ring so tight?" He tried to pull it off, and received a smack in return.

"No touching. You're to keep that on until it works to its full effect. It's small because it used to be mine, but I stopped wearing it. It's meant for a lady's hand."

"No wonder why you stopped wearing it." She glared at him. He held his head carefully. "So what does the ring do? Besides give you pleasure at my suffering, that is."

"It is a special ring called Relina's Wisdom."

"Sounds strong. What does it do?"

"It relieves drunkeness." Danny choked, trying to pull off the ring once more.

"What? That's the very reason why I drink. Take it off!"

"Oh, quit your whining. It's not permanent, although I might think about making you one in the future. It's affects are taking longer than usual, but most likely because you drink so much."

Danny shivered, "Oh, it's working alright. I feel horrible."

"Good, that means you can talk. And we need to have one, a serious one." She kicked the floor, and two planks formed to make seats. Anka plomped down on one and Danny followed suit. She pulled out the scroll from her cloak. "I was given this from the same man that gave me Firahis. He told me to open this only after the Pirate Queen died. I read it after Leigh was captured. It's a letter from my tribe, but I think it pertains to you as well." She unraveled it.




She closed the scroll. Danny blinked. "Is that it? You 'relieved' me of my drunkeness to tell me a cryptic message that involves you and your past." He stood up, but was hit by a piece of coal.

"Sit, and I'll tell you how you're involved. How the entire group is involved. That wasn't all that was on the scroll. There's a map that has certain locations highlighted, and it also has an insignia with it." She took that out of her cloak and showed it to Danny. Hey eyed it, his curiosity taking over. He tossed it a few times, inspecting every edge of it. "Do you recognize it at all?"

"Mmm, nope. Never seen it before in my life." He handed it back to her, still scrutinizing it.

"It has to mean something. If not, Mahl wouldn't risk sending it to me." Danny yawned and rose again.

"Well, since we got that sorted out, would you mind taking this ring off. My mug's calling me."

"Sit down and stop worrying about your drink, I'm sure your lady friend has it all under control. While that was certainly important, what I'm about to tell you next is even more so."

"Okay, what's so important?" Danny leaned back and the ship's hull bent to fit his form.

"This time, it's a warning. Our mission, to break the seals, it's going to be dangerous-"

"Anka, I know-" She held up a finger.

"I know you know, but I'm telling you anyway. Because the only one against it has been captured and vis concerns are not going to be said unless I voice them. The road we're taking, while I don't disagree with the choice, is a dangerous one. Timmy is only going to be the beginning, there will be more and more opposition with us breaking the seal." She stood up and looked in on the bar scene, with Aten and Simone and some of the crew that Pi "liberated" from the captain as they were cheering on Simone. She was standing on a table, screaming at the top of her lungs about being the Pirate Queen. "No matter what happens, Danny, promise me you'll keep the family together as your first priority. This family is in a delicate balance right now between order and chaos, peace and destruction. But this is our family now."

"Anka, these seals deserve to be broken. It's been too long, and no matter the opposition, I'm still doing it." He whispered.

Anka turned to face him. "These seals are important, yes, but family comes first."

"I've never had a good history with family."

"Neither have I, but this is different!" The floor beneath them started trembling. "We are outcasts, theives, traitors, abandoned by the ones we used to love and thrown out on the streets. But, we formed a family stronger than anything before. We are still outcasts, theives, and traitors, but we are those things together. This is your family now. This is our family now." She closed in on him. "Promise me, Daniel, promise me that family comes first."

"Okay, fine." He rose, going to the railing. "You are putting me in a hard position. This mission was my mother's ambition first, and she died not being able to finish it. I have to do this, now." He turned to look at her. "I promise, I will try my hardest to keep this family together."

Anka clasped his shoulder gently. "Thank you."

He laughed suddenly. "Doing a horrible job so far, aren't I? Lost Leigh and one of the Stones."

"Well, if we want to get to Dreamer's Rest to fix that, then we should follow Pi's suit and fix this ship. I can feel the hull. It's been through a lot."

He felt the wood. "It's gonna be tough, reversing decades of damage."

"We are too very strong Alchemists. Work together and maybe we won't be here all night."

"I work along on these things-"She smacked him, which silenced him.

"Unless you wanna be out here for days, trying to fix all the problems of this ship, I suggest you start listening and following my every move." She swirled her hands slowly in an arc and the decked cleared itself to give way to a wide open circle. She took off her sandals and stretched. She felt the hard, damp wood, its tendrils spiraling across the ship, mixing with other metals and stone. She felt the damaged parts of the ship, from the seats she made so they could talk to a tear in one of the rooms made the day before its maiden voyage to hide some smuggled goods. She felt one with the airship, felt its pain and remembered its past.

"Danny, there are some serious things wrong with this ship that were basically only covered up instead of bering fixed. Once we start this, we need to finish it." He nodded. "Just follow my lead."

She slammed her foot into the wooden floor, feeling the ship's damages. Another stomp, and she could see well into the ship's quarters. Another stomp, and another one, creating a slow rhythm. Her hands became the destruction. She swayed back and forth, moving her hands to match the stomping of her foot, mixing smooth movements with harsh ones the exact moment she slammed her foot down. Beads of sweat fell down her forehead and ran down her face and neck. "Dance with me, Danny. I can't do this alone."

The rhythm grew stronger as Danny joined in. Together, they moved flawlessly, each one mimmicking the other completely. They worked on the outside first, slowly smoothing out and toughening the hull.

Then they worked on the inside rooms. The stomping quickened, and the two worked tirelessly, fixing and mending the ship's personal quarters. They worked fast through the small cuts and scrapes.

Next was the intricacies of the engine and the rooms around it. The damage was severe on this area. Their beat slowed, and they slowed with it, working on the minute details with care. But something was off. They scanned the rooms around the engine, feeling the floor and the walls. Then they found it, the word escaping from both of their mouths.

"Pilen."

Danny stopped his dancing and rushed to the stairs leading below. "Danny, if we stop this, the engine will be ripped apart and the ship'll fall out of the sky!"

He turned to Anka, a sad smile on his face. "Family comes first, right Granny?"

She saw his disappear and felt the engine ripping itself apart, their slow and delicate work reversing itself ten times over and she blew out a small breath. "You're right, Danny." She lowered her arms and followed him to the bowels of the ship.

Family comes first.

Danny bounded down the back-and-forth stairwell, the clamour of his boots bounding against the floorboards. As he got lower into the ship, the wood gave way to metal, gave way to clanging footsteps, gave way to the sounds of explosions and backfiring and yelling. He jerked his attention from door to door, not sure which led to the engine room. Grumbling to himself, he felt a hand smack the back of his head. "She's in the back! For Moema's sake, rockhead, look with your feet!"

Anka and Danny took to the door leading to the hull of the ship, following the screams and explosions. Finally, the dark, eerily-glowing hallway let loose to the engine room where Pilen stood, guarding with a fire shield against an onslaught of flames.

Danny swung down onto the floor, taking a huge swing of his greatsword from his back. "Lordaeron!" A flash of black let loose from the sword as metal swarmed from the blade, buckling into a shield in front of Pilen. The flames washed against the steel hungrily and finally abated. The sword regained its normal, curved-edge, ruthless form; Pilen shrieked.

"You have to get back! We have to get back! It's only going to strike again!"

"What the hell is it?!"

Anka swept a foot across the floor, taking a defensive stance. "The brat woke up an elemental!" Danny had seen this face before--a weird mixture of angry rodent and chastising, prudish grandmother--and recognized it as the face Anka made whenever she saw the clouds of Blackrend.

"Oh, great job, Pi! We hijacked a Blackrend ship!"

"Get your stones together, Danny, and take a stance!" Pilen was already crouched, staff ablaze.

"God--fine!" Danny poised to attack, but waited.

And nothing happened.

"Pilen," whispered Danny.

"What?!" she spat back.

"Do the thing."

"Oh. Yeah, right." She swung her staff around her head and forced a palm forward, lobbing a fireball into the smouldering engine's furnace. The entire wall ahead of them lit ablze as the sleeping elemental reanimated, taking solid...or Danny guessed mostly sort-of-rock-but-not-really-because-it-was-made-of-that-really-hot-burning-liquid-rock-stuff. Regardless, Danny pounced. His sword cleaved a cleft from the magma body, warranting a war howl from the elemental. It swung a fist down above Danny's head and knocked him to the back of the engine room, but he wasn't down for the count. His skin burned. His armor felt as hot as the sun. He was definitely going to suffer; but if he didn't take the licks, who would?

Pilen took to her swinging, lapping fire from the elemental and bringing it back around in doubles to distribute the flames away from the monster. It didn't seem to be doing much, but Danny had seen elementals before. Pilen had seen elementals before. The trick wasn't in overpowering them, but taking their power away.

Anka chipped away at the beast's physical body with her ranged throws. Danny re-emerged into the fray to shelter Pi and Anka. His body burned. Even his teeth burned.

Pilen leaped with surprise over Danny's shoulder and lodged her blazing staff into the elemental's belly. She screamed as fire licked at her skin, but channeled the energy away from the elemental and through her chakras--from one hand to the other--and at the very last second, as her energy well neared bursting limit, she screamed, emitting a chaotic storm of white lightning through the entire engine room. The elemental blasted her away, damaged beyond recognition, and Anka ran to her side to heal her. Danny lowered his parrying blade and saw the exposed core.

It hovered, pulsed, as if possessed with the sheer embodiment of the fear that came with firebendering itself. Destruction and chaos and other bad stuff that Danny couldn't name. It was like looking the devil in the eye and saying What's Up.

He channeled energy through his body and into his sword, causing it to expand, straighten, lengthen to double its size, and then with a yell, he charged the monster with a point-blank coup de grace. The molten beast sputtered and buckled, its energy condensing into its shattered core. Danny was delirious under the heat, but felt the energy fluxing in the room. He shuddered, he pulled at his sword. He realized that he was about to die.

The elemental roared. Danny roared. He dove for Pilen and Anka and bent a shield of metal around them as the elemental exploded, taking the engine--and engine room--with it. When Danny dropped the metal shield, wind blew against the three faces in the room. They were going down.

They were going down now.

Ve sat in vis room across from a hardly recognizable but still familiar face— Brian, a man who had been vis friend, but he'd also risen through Gwendolyn's ranks. Tortured through, from the scars across his face and arms.

Leigh stayed quiet. Whether or not he'd broken, ve couldn't take any chance.

Ve's attention was more on the syringe on the table between them, filled with chemicals set to neutralize bending. Unlike most watchers, Brian kept the syringe out of reach.

He shifted in what he perceived as uncomfortable silence. "So... enjoying the clear skies back at the Rest?"

"You've asked me that five times," ve said, hand going to the pendant Danny gave vem. "I'm indifferent to it."

He coughed. "Oh yeah, you're 'indifferent' to everything."

Ve snorted. "It's not like I have much of a choice, so even if I had missed it, it's not like I'm free to enjoy it, am I?"

"I would enjoy it if even if I wouldn't be able to see it ever again. But, that's just me."

Leigh shrugged, looking out the window, still toying with the stone. "It's hard to watch the skies when you're looking over your shoulder."

It was back to the same tricks, only instead of potential threats coming from anti-benders, they came from a force more than willing to kill vem in the name of showing just how disposable ve was in the grand scheme of things. Yet, Gwendolyn just adored pointing out how much power ve could have if only ve joined her.

He leaned forward, still out of reach of the syringe. "You don't have as much to worry about as you think."

Leigh looked back at him, watching every line in his face and the way his eyes caught in the light. There was still lightning in them, like ve remembered. It wasn't as bright and it wasn't smiling, but it was there.

Timothy's eyes had lost that lightning. Gwendolyn's had a darker sheen, like the flash right before a tree split in two.

Ve held his eyes for a few moments, trying to be certain of what was behind them. Even then, vis voice was a whisper. "I still can't take a chance."

Before Brian could reply, the all too familiar clicking of Gwendolyn's heels echoed in the hall and brought on another headache. Ve rubbed vis temples, while Brian grabbed the syringe and kept it in a relaxed grip exactly like hers.

She swept into the room, robes another shade of purple than they were this morning, jewelry different as well. For once, she wasn't wearing the ouroboros pendant. "Our scouts spotted an airship going down in Dreamer's Bay. Investigate."

His mouth lost any relaxed edge, his formerly easy going voice sounding more like it was going over glass. "Very well."

Gwendolyn stayed by the door and held her hand out for the syringe as she passed. He placed it in her hand, needle end towards her. She lowered her wrist to avoid the point, and Leigh was nearly positive ve saw him tense oh so slightly. As if he'd missed.

"Such a useful boy." She kept watching as if to make sure he was leaving, then turned her attention to vem. "Now, I realize I've been extremely unfair to you. I've taken away all your weapons, left you in this state... I thought I would make it up to you."

She snapped her fingers, and two other Scholars rolled in a rack of weapons. A mahogany staff with metal caps on each end to help conduct electricity and prevent wear, a jet black whip with a six-tailed flayed end, silver plated iron whips, daggers, throwing knives, chakram... every weapon an astronomer could wield, with properties to enhance their abilities. Leigh was certain every single one had a rune on it somewhere.

Ve studied every weapon, not getting up from vis seat. The two circled around in the room, hands behind their back, body language every inch reflective that they were prison guards, at present.

Gwendolyn watched vem, walking over to lean on the rack. "Well? What do you think?"

The Scholars came in closer. Leigh knew their names. Ve couldn't be bothered to call them by such an honour.

Ve narrowed vis eyes. "What's the catch?"

She laughed. A hollow sound that was like obsidian blades clinking together. Her wrist flicked at the same time, showing the still poised grip on the syringe. "Oh, no catch. I just thought you'd like a little... reward for being so good."

Ve stayed sitting, if only to keep room between vem and the reason why ve hadn't dared cross her. "I don't presently require weapons. I'm sure anyone here can tell you I prefer other methods besides violence."

"Mmhm... as Tim told me, when he recounted the spat that brought you here. Quite impressive. Some could say foolish, considering how he made his intentions perfectly clear... with you, at least." She nodded towards one of the guards, but Leigh only gave him a quick glance. "No, I'm more interested in seeing how you fight."

The Scholar was behind vem, now. Ve saw the ouroboros pendant drop down in vis vision, clasp tied behind vis neck.

Leigh found it hard to breathe.

The pendant seemed to soak into vis skin, cord warm and heavy and the only thing ve could focus on. A snake slipped into vis heart and mind, hissing and slithering through vis senses. It coiled itself up, biting into its tail with a flash of heat followed by ice cold numbing.

"Besides," Gwen said. "I'm sure you'd like to meet your friends, if they're staging a rescue."

Leigh exhaled with a barely audible growl, hands balling into fists. What friends?

Cool air rushed past her face, making it hard to catch a breath. The engine was destroyed, and she should've known that an elemental powered the thing, seeing how little the old crew repaired it. Anka, you're an idiot. She mentally slapped herself for not thinking of it. This was her problem, now she was going to try and fix it.

"Danny, is there any way to slow this thing down? Stopping it would be great and all that, but I doubt that's an option right now." She shouted over the wind, trying to keep herself from falling into the sea.

"No shit, Granny. Get up on deck!" He pointed to the mostly intact stairs leading up. All the way across the open chasm where the engine used to be. He's crazy or still drunk, or both. Pilen was next to her, barely concsious from the fight. She stomped her leg on the charred floor and created a small walkway to the other side of the room. Picking up Pilen was almost as easy as making a bridge. She was light but she felt almost lifeless. A ring on her hand shone brightly, and she felt a burst of speed, getting her across the room before the wind blew the small catwalk away and into the sea.

The had cleared the lowest lying clouds by then and was heading towards... "Land!" Danny shouted as they reached the top deck. Aten was tring to redirect the wind around as to allow them to fall more gracefully, but his drunkeness was getting the best of him. "Anka, I have an idea."

"Oh, I'd love to hear it!"

He ignored the sarcasm in Anka's voice. "The way it looks right now, we're not going to hit land, and we're all going to drown except Simone."

"Damn right I won't." She downed another mug, not caring about the falling ship.

"However, if we direct the ship's falling, help Aten out a little, we'll be able to get on the land. It's not the best landing, but it's what we got."

Anka thought about it. "It's going to be extremely difficult."

"Never said it wasn't."

Aten glanced over the edge of the ship. "If we plan on doing it, we better do it now!"

Danny began a rough and swift movement and the ship lurched, almost pushing him over the edge. Anka stepped in with him. Side by side, they worked much like before, but this time it was... different. They rushed with precise movements, grabbing all that they could of the ship's hull. She could feel the gaping hole in the back of the ship, but tried to ignore it. All she had to do was persuade the ship to fall in the direction she wanted it to fall. Just lift your nose a bit higher.

"Hold onto something!" Danny shouted and grabbed Pilen's limp arm. Simone pulled Aten to the side and kicked the lid off of a barrel of beer, spilling its contents out on the deck. She swirled the drink to cover both of their feet and froze it, locking them both in plzce. Anka arched her head over her and the deck came to life, forming a dome over them. Just before the dome closed all the way around them, Anka saw out of the corner of her eye the jagged mountains that Leigh was no doubt on.

At first there was a sharp crack, then nothing. She couldn't tell whether or notshe was still breathing or her hearing was just shot. She chuckled on the inside and knew it was the latter. Her body was too stubborn to die just yet.

The pain came next, which confirmed her thoughts. She could barely feel her legs and there was a sharp shooting pain in her side. She could feel hot liquid running down her forehead and trailing down her neck. She could feel that her dome was mostly intact, but she dared not open her eyes. If blood got in them, it would cause a lot of trouble. She tried moving her legs without success. Okay, let's take it one small step at a time. Focusing on moving her fingers, she found out her left hand moved well enough, but her right hand refused to listen to her commands. So, she focused on her left hand, moving it around, flecing the muscles and joints. She had at least some mobility in her arm, which meant that she might be able to get out of here sometime this week.

She slowly moved her hand up her body and felt the cool totem still around her neck. Part of it was slick with her blood, but it was at least still intact. She grasped it tightly and managed to lower her head. "Earth Mother. Please, guide me and give me the strength to get my family and me to safety. Thank you, Moema." She raised the totem to her lips and emptied her mind of all else.

The totem grew hot and her body filled with newfound energy. She could feel her entire body and was aware of every single injury she had, but for now the pain had subsided. She knew she would come to regret this later, but for now, her main focus was her family.

She laid a hand on a visible part of the deck, feeling for any survivors. Danny and Pilen were in the dome when she formed it, but now they weren't anywhere on the ship or around it. Danny must have gotten her off of the ship and was hiding. Aten and Simone were still in their spots, surprisingly unhurt. She scanned the rest of the ship. There were no other survivors.

Lifting her hands over her head and balling them into a fist, she collapsed the dome and threw it to the side, where it blended in with the rest of the destroyed deck. She walked over to the pair. Aten, seeing her, struggled to get free of the frozen beer. "Granny, get me out of her. Simone's gone crazy and she's not letting me out until I give her the title of the Pirate Queen, which I don't even have, or want!" He spilled out his words extremely fast, and ducked, dodging a dagger.

"I'm perfectly fine." Simone smiled and summoned the dagger back, causing Aten to duck again. "Besides, I wouldn't be talking, I'm not the one that's trapped in ice and can't get out."

Anka groaned. "Simone."

"Yes, Granny?"

"We have more important problems right now. I can feel of movement in the mountain. We caused a lot of disturbance. No doubt they're coming to check for survivors. So, unless you want to turn this rescue mission into a death sentence, I suggest we get moving. Now."

She glared at Granny but flicked her fingers. "Fine." The ice under Aten melted and he instantly jumped off of the puddle, not wanting to get trapped again. She pointed a dagger at him groggily. "One of these days, I'm comin' after you. After Pilen of course, but still."

"I thought we already discussed this. You can be the Pirate Queen. I'm not even a woman."

She glanced down and twirled her knife. "Don't tempt me."

Anka kneeled and felt the deck again. "It's faint, but there's people coming. We need to find the others and get as far away from this site as we can."

"You can't feel them through the Earth?" Aten questioned.

"He's in hiding. Even I can't see him when he does this." She looked up to the mountain, its heigh casting great shadows onto itself and the valley below, giving the peak a dark feeling. "The sooner we're out of here, the better. Let's go."

~~

They hid behind a large boulder shouldering the beginning of a large cliff on the mountainside, Anka pulling apart the land to see the group from afar. She could sense them barely. Everything along the ground was moving, making it hard for her to differentiate human from earth. She could sense there was about four or five of them as they combed through what they could of the ship. She still didn't have a clue where Danny or Pilen were, and that worried her. She guessed they weren't captured, since the raiding part were still looking for survivors, but beyond that... she couldn't tell.

It felt like the mountain itself was alive, shaking with frenzy. She had never felt this kind of power radiating through the earth before. She sat down lotus style behind the boulder and closed her eyes. Aten and Simone didn't notice, too focused on the scouring of the broken Blackrend ship. She focused on the mountain itself, looking to the source of the power.

The mountain was hollow on one of its sides, with workers drilling into more of it as she sat there. The power came from the immense operation to clear out the mountain for whatever reason. It shook the entire valley from its devastation.

Suddenly Simone shook her out of her trance. "Pilen's in trouble." She whispered, far from joking. Pointing to something closer to the Rest, Anka had to squint her eyes to see what was going on. It was Pilen, running around in the middle of the open valley, screaming at the top of her lungs, fire sprouting from her finger tips. Danny was around her, she could feel him drop his guard, but she couldn't quite make him out.

The scouting party assembled around her. "Oh, wonderful." Simone muttered. "Pi's gonna get us all captured."

"Because we're gonna help her out."

"Thought so."

They charged, with Aten lagging behind a bit, the hard drink still affecting him more than most. Anka brought out Firahis, throwing the chakram wildly in the direction of what looked like the leader.

"Anka, no!" Danny slammed the ground and a boulder rose to meet Firahis, the chakram hitting the rock with a loud thud, bouncing back to its owner. The leader turned to look at the new addition to the group.

"We'll need to get out of sight of the Rest. I'm on your side."

Simone puffed out her chest. "We don't have a side, we're just here to save our friend."

"And I can help." He turned to Danny, holstering his staff and holding out his hand. "My name's Brian, and I lead the organization that will help you get Leigh back."

Danny heaved to the left, grunted as a massive rock encased the gang behind a wall of stone. Aten moved the air around them to make the room soundproof. Pilen lit her staff ablaze to give them light.

"We don't have long, so listen carefully."

"I have to pee."

"You have the rest of your life to pee on whatever you want, but if you don't act quickly with me, then there may not be a mountain to pee on by the end of the day!"

Danny stood down, bashfully.

"I know you came to rescue your friend. The whole academy knows, and that's why your direct approach would fail indefinitely. Instead, I'm going to have you complete a quest for me...and if all goes well, you'll have a few moments of our overlord's good graces, during which you can strike at the heart of the beast."

The churning air around them died down as Brian's voice did the same. He nodded, then pointed into the darkness, near the heart of the mountain. "Your timing is opportune. Lately we've been losing men in the heart of the mountain, a place that the scholars supervising the dig have dubbed The Cleave. It is my belief that a primal elemental has been resting in The Cleave for countless centuries--and now that our bitch overlord has blown a hole into the mountainside, he's stirring." He nodded again, nervously. "I'm going to send you to your deaths at the hands of the primal."

Aten coughed, making the air in their rock bubble splash. "No offense, but I don't know you, I don't know what you're up to, I have no reason to trust you, I don't know your name, I don't like fighting things I don't understand, I hardly even understand Leigh, I'm not sure what our endgame is here, I feel like we've been rushed into a plot that we have no point in being in, I want to get back on our blown-up airship, I have to pee too now that Danny's mentioned it, and to be frank, I really don't trust you."

Danny sighed. "He's telling the truth."

Aten cocked an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"His elbow is in my crotch. I'm literally feeling his pulse with my di--"

"So sorry," Brian teased, easing his elbow away. "Glad you're a truthbender, though."

Danny sighed again. "When you call me a bender, are you spitting subconsciously?"

"Not in the least!" he exclaimed. "I wouldn't be at the Academy if I didn't love bending."

He leered. "Hold my hand and say that."

Anka groaned. "We don't have time for hand-holding! If you're a scholar worth your salt, then you'll know that the moment this titan goes down, the power of all nearby earthbenders will fall as well!" She spat. "No wonder our powers have been so exaggerated. You've been playing with fire you don't know how to put out!"

The airbender nodded. "My name is Brian, and I just realized the power of the titan yesterday. If you can bring proof that you've killed it, if you bring that proof to Gwendolyn, she may listen to you."

"The problem isn't getting her to listen," Danny cut. "It's getting her to drop her guard long enough for us to kill her...along with every other airbender on this mountain."

"I would advise against that."

"Why would you advise against that?"

"Because," he groaned, "her forces are outnumbered!"

There was a break in the conversation.

"I get it," said Simone. "Between Brian's group of piss ants who hate authority and the enslaved earthbenders they have inside the mountain, the boss bitch doesn't have a leg to stand on. Plus, there's us."

Danny nodded. "I like us. Go on."

"Once we bring down this raging titan, you're gonna be at a disadvantage. That sucks. But it's okay because you've gotten enough spotlight in the last few chapters."

Danny nodded. "I liked the spotlight."

Simone agreed. "It's time for someone else to take the lead." She spat on her dagger and somehow made it glow. "Alright Brian. We'll kill your primal. We'll bring one of its smoldering fangs as proof." She shrugged. "And then we'll launch a big-ass battle royale on the mountaintop. It'll be your chance to take down your grudge bitch, and our chance to save Leigh."

"That...sounds good."

"Brian's withholding information," cut Danny. "Someone make him talk or I'll crush his head right here and now so I can go pee."

Brian shook his head and looked away. "It's not much...but you must be ready to accept Leigh in any form that ve may take. Gwendolyn has a way of changing a person."

Many slasher smiles had graced Lordaeron throughout the decades, but none quite as giddy as Simone's, as she trekked up the mountainside.

"You're supposed to be going to your death," Brian hissed. "Dammit Simone, try and act a little less happy."

Simone paused and turned. The others were a dozen steps behind, and definitely looking the part. Pilen was drawing heaving breaths, and even Aten appeared troubled. Danny and Anka were morose.

"What's the matter, guys?" she asked. "We're going to beat up an impossibly powerful monster. You should be happy!"

The daggers stared at her could have upgraded her collection.

In silence, the party continued its ascent. The mountainside was steep, and the path barely clear. Brian led them with hesitation in his bones. Simone was galvanized. Finally, she wasn't stuck on a hunk of metal in the sky. There was blood to be shed.

"We're nearing the Cleave," Brian whispered, almost reverentially. "Stay alert."

"I thought the home of an earth primal would have been closer to the ground," Anka said.

"You don't understand." Brian pointed to the sky. There was a second peak to the right, much sharper. Snow covered its top. "That's the actual mountain. The Rest is at the top. What we're climbing is what grew around the primeval. It's stronger the closer to the base, so Gwendolyn thought it was a smart idea to drill near its head." The last words were laced with venom.

"So this Cleave --" Danny began.

Brian stopped. Simone almost crashed into him, and everyone stumbled.

There were a few moments of confused silence. Then the group saw why he had stopped. Three astronomers were barring their parth. Their eyes spoke of trouble.

"Reva," Brian said. "Orn, Vann. Why are you here? Gwendolyn said she didn't want any interferences."

"I'm also wondering why Gwendolyn would send our esteemed guests on a suicidal task," one said.

"Their friend is waiting for them," another said.

"Two birds with one stone," Brian replied. His voice cracked. "Gwendolyn wanted to resolve an issue with... disposable resources."

Talk, talk. Wasting words. Simone hated the wait. She could feel it. Feel the strength of the elemental. It pulsed through the mountain. No, it was the mountain. Every tree was a spear, every blade of grass its might, breaking through the rock. And it was almost in reach. The entrance was right there! Gods damn these stupid monks and their filler junk, she'd tear them limb from limb.

Brian grabbed her wrist, tight. Simone's mind snapped back to reality. The astronomers were backing off, arrogant leers on their faces. Good, she thought. Leave already!

"Gwendolyn will want to see you about this, later," one of the astronomers said. Then they turned and walked away.

Brian watched them go, chewing on his lips. "I'm taking a huge risk here. But it's done." He pointed. "That's the Cleave. The mountain's been unusually active. I think it senses your power. We part here. Good luck."

He followed the astronomers, head bent.

Simone turned to look at her companions. Their faces were drawn, fists clenched.

"Still can't believe we're doing this," Aten muttered.

She took that as a battle cry. Eyes alight, Simone skipped into the Cleave. The others followed, lagging behind, hands on their weapons.

***

Simone was not expecting what she saw. The Cleave was a small plateau, much like a temple cell, twenty paces wide and ten long, at a guess. No, it wasn't a plateau. It was more like a ring. The ground continued to the side and in front of her. Strange. The stone was hewn smoothly, and unadorned. Everything glowed with a pale green light. She turned around on herself, but couldn't spot its source. It was as if it came from the very stones.

The Cleave seemed to... vibrate. Simone could feel the power in the air as she raised her arm. It hung to her and made her movement difficult. At the same time, it filled her spirit with more energy than she'd ever felt before. She turned to look at Danny. His eyes were feral, fists clenching and unclenching. Anka was aghast. She was muttering some mantra over and over to herself.

"Guys," Pilen said. Her voice was weak. She was bent, looking down. The rest of the group moved to her and also looked.

"Moema deliver me from sin," Anka said. "I have seen god, and he is mighty."

Pilen threw up over the edge.

Ten feet below them, the titan rested. At this distance, Simone could see only its head, but already she knew the thing dwarfed her. She was barely the size of the shrubbery that grew along its shoulders. Its head was humanoid, but lumpen and misshapen. Under a crag that could have been a mouth, two tips of stone jutted out, like castle crenellations. Fangs. It seemed to have hair, also. A vivid mane of bushes and trees, reaching far, far below. Its skin, rock, was multi-colored. There were patches of gold -- gold? -- ruby, sapphire and shades of silver, mixed in with golden granite.

"Oh, baby", Simone said, exhaling violently. She drew Riptide. The mace was heavy in her hands. "We're going to have so much fun together, you and I."

The titan heard her. Two eyes, gems larger than their campsite, opened emerald green. The light in the cavern intensified, bathing everyone shades of forest. Ponderously, the mouth opened, revealing jagged stalagmites. It roared. The mountain shook.

***

Simone threw herself off the ledge, swinging the mace. It crashed into the titan's eye. Shards flew everywhere. The elemental roared. Simone twisted in mid-air as gravity reasserted itself and began to run down the titan. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see that the mountain itself was composed of concentric ledges. Before gravity had time to wonder what was actually going on, she used her last burst of energy to throw herself.

She landed on another one of the ledges rolling, steel clattering.

"Well?" she roared to her companions. "What are you waiting for?"

She saw Danny fall, screaming profanity of some sort. He shot a chunk of rock from the wall and launched himself off of it, onto the titan's arm. Pilen was next, throwing fireballs. She landed on its head. Aten jumped nimbly, manipulating air currents. Simone couldn't see Anka.

She launched herself from the ledge, arms flailing. She grabbed onto a finger of the titan's outstretched hand. Hoisting herself up, she rose onto its arm. Simone ran up it, drawing her daggers. They trailed ice-cold steam, carving deep gashes in the rock. She could see Pilen setting the titan's hair on fire gleefully, while Aten summoned lightning.

The next roar from the titan shook the very mountainside. Its arms trailed after Aten, but it was slow, and confined in its prison. Simone switched to Riptide again, bringing the weapon crashing down onto it. Maybe with enough strength she could break its arms off. That didn't seem likely. As hard as she struck, she only dented its 'skin'. They'd need a more powerful attack of some sorts.

Simone raised her mace for another attack when she felt a pulse throughout the titan's body. The rock convulsed and spasmed. Shit! She jumped up a split second before the spikes shot out, arching her back to avoid being gutted. Falling, she broke one with her mace and landed, un-gutted. With another heave, the spikes retracted. Good, it could put up a fight. For an instant she'd been worried it would have been boring.

Danny appeared to be locked in a silent struggle with it. The rock under him boiled, but no attack burst through. Was he actually trying to suppress its energy? The power must have gone to his head. His face was tense, he was sweating.

"We're like flies," he said, gasping for breath. "I don't think we're strong enough to actually hurt it."

There was another pulse. Simone danced around the dark spots as more spiked flowered. Spinning, she struck another one down. It convulsed again, but this time, spikes didn't shoot out. Parts of the ground rose and took shape, forming smaller golems. They advanced, cavernous and glinting.

"It has minions?" Aten cried, in dismay.

"It has minions!" Simone cried, bashing one's head in. She weaved in and out of the fray of limbs, crashing and smashing. Mist and stone were flung in all directions. The mountain heaved. Dust permeated the air. The earth trembled to its very core.

"We're not doing any damage to it," Aten called out, rocketing to and fro.

"I had no idea," Simone called out. She raised her mace to parry a downward arm-thrust, then twisted forward. The stone snapped off, and the golem's head soon followed. The titan was large, but it was crowded. Its minions didn't have much space to maneuver, and their agility was pitiful. So far, they were just a nuisance.

Simone, however, was also aware that she was growing tired. Riptide grew heaver in her hands with each strike. The titan was... cold. There was no energy, no heat that she could feed off. Just a machine, hell-bent on reducing her to poultice. And so far, it was winning.

She saw Aten, only barely dodge a ponderous attack by the titan, sent flying. He hit a ledge and crumpled. Above her, Pilen was struggling. Vines wrapped around her feet and tried to sneak up her body. For every one broken, two more rose up. Danny was still locked in silent combat. He looked slightly green.

"Ugh!" Simone exclaimed, bringing down Riptide. "Where is Anka?!"

"Over here," came the reply.

Simone turned in search of the voice. She saw Anka, resting on a ledge below her. Beside her was equipment of all sorts. She saw barrels and pickaxes and ropes and so many useless thing why was she wasting her time gods was she trying to kill them.

"What are you doing? We're getting beaten down!"

"There are explosives here," Anka said. "Number one rule in combat -- pay attention to your surroundings."

Simone ducked as she saw an attack come at her. She jabbed at the golem with the butt of her mace, then spun around and cleaved it in half.

"I'd say I've got that down pat."

"If we can hit it with a concentrated attack in one spot, we might actually do some damage," Anka said. "Then we pop the explosives, Pilen sets them off, and this thing will blow."

"Great," Simone said. "Now pass me a pickaxe."

"Why?"

"Our buddy here is a living mine. Are you kidding? I need to get me some of that bling before we pop it. Just give me the pickaxe!"

Sighing in evident disgust, Anka threw her one overhand. Simone caught it and whirled around, putting Riptide away. This was going to be a matter of dexterity. Her eyes were set on the spikes that jutted forth from its shoulders. They glittered. You will be mine, Simone mouthed. She charged.

No golem minions, no rocky attacks would stand between Simone and her gems. She ducked, dodged and weaved until she was standing there. She picked away like there was no tomorrow until she had utterly destroyed one of the spikes.

"Simone? We're kinda dying here!"

So much money. Simone was already feeling the hot baths and meals as she shoved the gems in artfully concealed tears pockets in her clothing.

"Alright, let's do this!"

She slid down its arms again. Anka was waiting, explosives ready.

"Where do we put the bomb?"

"It's eye," Simone replied. "We put out its eye!"

"Go!"

"Everyone!" Simone called. "Concentrate your attacks on its left eye!"

Pilen unleashed a burst of heat that incinerated the vines holding her. She slid down its face, propelling herself with jets of flame, and struck the titan's eye with a blast. Hanging from what could have been its chin, she continued her bombardment.

Aten had dragged himself back up and was now running up it, trailing lightning. He flung himself into its face and peeled away, readying another blitz. The titan howled. Danny flinched.

Simone summoned the spirit of the roiling wave and the waterfall. This attack had to do it. They couldn't waste any more time. She ran, accellerating with each pace, Riptide behind her back. The aura of steam she trailed cracked and broke any golem that tried getting near her. Simone was a blur.

She crashed into its eye with the force of a tsunami. The great emerald of its eye cracked slowly, with a noise like snapping bone. Web-like tears spread from the center, gaining depth as they moved away from the center. The eye broke.

The sound that followed, Simone couldn't quite describe it. It made ancient memories resurface in her mind, of warriors on ships cutting through icy waters, chasing after a colossal whale-thing. They would spear its rubbery hide, and it would howl in pain, and the ice would break.

This was like one of those whales, except twenty of them, and what was breaking was her eardrums. It was so loud Simone couldn't fully process it, and the sound-waves went straight to her soul. That broke, too.

A torrent of energy spewed forth from the broken eye. A wave of power tore through the Cleave. The mountain-top broke. It erupted like a volcano, sending hill-sized chunks of stone soaring through the air. The titan's skin blew apart.

"What the fuck?!" Simone screamed.

"It's gone into Primal mode," Danny yelled back.

The titan was no longer stone. It was composed of pulsing energy, pure and terrifying. It held the stone around it suspended in the air, creating a roiling barrier. Simone looked down. She was standing on a not-large-enough hunk of rock, dozens of meters above the ground. Wind whipped at her. Simone's stomach convulsed.

"We have to interrupt the flow of energy," Anka said. "It's the closest thing to the very incarnation of earth right now. The land's own heartbeat is syncing with that of the titan. If full synchronization happens, it will become a god. Untouchable. Our only chance is that explosive. Even a tiny alteration might do it."

"Alright, we have to get it there!"

Danny looked odd. Simone couldn't place what it was immediately. She blinked. He was totally unharmed. The wind cut at his skin, but it regenerated immediately. Simone turned. Anka, too. Her green eyes were alight. Since when were her eyes green?

It was as if the titan understood that exchange. Another wave of energy came. Simone was knocked to her knees, breath crushed. She couldn't stand, like some great weight was keeping her to the earth.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Anka and Danny still standing. Could they be rivalling the titan? Amazing. Their power level was ten, a hundred times higher than before. So this was the power of elementals.

A blade of rock the size of a building was hurled towards Anka.

"Danny! Catch!"

She pushed the bomb towards him with a surge of energy, then threw herself to the boulder in front of her. The blade turned where she had been standing into dust and exploded. Simone winced as rock pelted her face.

Danny ran, the bomb hovering close to his body. He jumped from boulder to boulder, drawing closer and closer. The titan bellowed. The rock beneath his feet exploded just as he touched down. At the same time, a rain of stone fell down on him.

"Danny!"

Anka caught the bomb he had managed to throw, but there was no sign of him anywhere. Had he fallen? Could he survive something like that?

Anka was almost there now. She was running out of rock to grab onto. The titan loomed above her.

"Pilen!" she screamed. Anka twisted, summoning all the energy she had. She threw the bomb.

"Hell yeah!"

Pilen stretched her arm out and shot a bolt of fire. The bomb collided with the titan an instant before it was hit by fire. There was a moment of silence. Even the trees stopped growing to pay attention. Simone marveled at the calm. She'd never felt this at peace with herself. Her eyes grew misty as she contemplated all the people she had to apologize to.

Then everything exploded. The rock, the trees, the air, the calm, it all shot in ten thousand directions. A huge wave of stone and dust ripped through the entire valley. In its passing, grass withered flowers died. Ground became ceiling and roofs collapsed.

I'm pretty sure Gwendolyn saw this, Simone thought, falling. She blacked out.

"The mountain!"

Ve leapt out the window, feet connecting with the building across the way before pushing vem up higher in the complex. A few leaps of wind rushing later, Leigh was perched at the tallest point and watching a mountain crumble. Ve let the wind whip through vis clothing, watching a Titan fall along with the mountain. They were stronger than Gwen had thought.

They would still be no match.

Leigh coldly watched the stone turn to dust, wondering if they'd even be around to fight after the Titan's lair was falling all around them. If they couldn't survive those cutting winds they would stand no match, anyway.

Gwen stepped up to the neighbouring ceiling, skirts gathered in one hand to step down from what looked like a cloud. "Quite impressive, wouldn't you say?"

Leigh nodded.

"Still. We'll need to make sure only one of them handles you. I doubt you could handle a group who could take down a Titan!"

"And here I was expecting some confidence." Leigh rolled vis eyes. "You saw me in the training yards."

Gwen smiled slyly. "There's nothing wrong with me investing in your safety, is there?"

Ve paused, then gave a short nod. She had a point, and even with vis skill it would be far easier to defeat one instead of five. However, that did depend on if they were alive.

"Call the seer," shouted Gwen. "I want to know how many escaped the mountain and I want to know before sundown." She turned her head as a man made his way across the pagoda and onto the steps of the library. "Brian, darling--" He stopped and turned his head to meet her gaze. "I want an ether field erected circa the pagoda. Leigh will perform there."

Leigh turned to look at Gwen questioningly.

And she nodded. "You will perform. A dance, a battle - oh, dear, it's all the same thing, isn't it?" She stroked her ouroboros amulet. "Don't you agree?"

A smirk slowly grew on Leigh's face. "Of course, Gwen. Only the best for you."

She held out her hand and ve took it, kissing her fingers. Gwen's hand lingered a moment before she ran her fingers along Leigh's jaw. "I am so happy you chose to work with me, darling."

Leigh nodded. "For someone like you? It is a pleasure."

She gathered her skirts again and walked down to the courtyard, taking stairs that only the most advanced astronomers could conjure. Leigh watched her go and caught Brian staring at vem, an unidentifyable mix of emotions on his face. Ve kept vis face smooth, looking back at the space the mountain used to be.

Moments later the air crackled. Leigh jumped back onto a nearby post, blinding light landing where ve'd been. Ve could've simply redirected it. Metal rods placed throughout the compound allowed for safe lightning strikes.

Old habits died hard. The pendant around vis neck shifted, ruby eyes glistening. Ve blinked. Ve swerved as vis mind reeled.

The farmer cast a critical eye on vem, looking between where ve stood and where lightning had struck moments before. "How did you know it was coming? I thought only astronomers managed to sense it."

Leigh rubbed the back of vis head and glanced back at the smouldering crater. "I spend a lot of time outside, honestly. Inns are hard to come by in rural Celesta. Thunderstorms all feel the same, after awhile."

The man snorted, going back to his crops. "You sure do have an uncanny ability to dodge, I'll tell ya. Thought only benders were that good."

Leigh nodded a little too sharply, and had to keep from swallowing. "Nope. A few non-benders can keep up." That had been a little too close for comfort. At least jumping out of the way was easy to explain. Redirecting was a completely different beast.

"Good. Benders ain't welcome here."

Ve nodded. "I was counting on it. Came here to escape them, myself."

The farmer smiled.

Ve comforted vemself that it wasn't a complete lie.

Scholars shouldn't concern themselves with the opinions of small minded non benders who had no idea of the power found in the elemental arts.

The pendant shifted again, sharp pain muffling out a thought. How are we the broad ones, if we only listen to one source?

Those sources were simply the best.

"Leigh!"

Ve turned to see Gwen waving at vem.

"The pavilion is ready!"

Ve looked back at the scorched rock pilar. "Coming, Gwen."

She waited for vem to come close, falling into step beside vem. "Your friends should be arriving soon."

"How many times do I have to tell you," ve said. "They are not my friends."

As if on cue, the doors swung open and a group of five strode in. Each one's chest was out, and the leader had his hands raised in triumph. "Gwendolyn, we have defeated the Titan!"

Danny was the first to enter, Simonne nestled up in his arms, still passed out. The others filling in behind them. "Gwendolyn, we have defeated the Titan!" Danny cheered, pumping his fists into the air, forgetting about Simonne and scrambling to grab her before she hit the ground.

Gwen, dressed in an obnoxiously golden dress, scoffed at the display. “Forgive me if I hold doubt.”

Anka held up up the Titan’s fang. “Seeing is believing, is it not?”

Gwen raised her hand, a servant passing her a handkerchief,and she picked up the Titan fang, cringing as the boiling saliva dripped down. “Surely you could have grabbed something more...sanitary.” She held it up, and another servant came to take it away.

“You got your fang,” Danny barked. “Now we see Leigh. That was our deal.”

“Oh, you didn’t notice?” Gwen scoffed, raising a gloved hand to cover her joy. “Leigh’s been here the whole time.” Gwen gestured to the mook on her left as they pulled back their hood.

“Leigh!” The group loosened at the sight of vis face, but the warmness was short lived. The warmth was met with the stark coldness of Leigh’s deadened eyes. Vis body was there, but Leigh was nowhere near them.

tsk. tsk. “You call yourself friends?” Gwen gave another scan over the group, frowning. “Honestly, Leigh, I’m astonished, I figured you were the type to keep better company.”

Eyes unmoving from vis glare on the party, Leigh broke vis silence.“They are not my company,” Leigh spat. “Not anymore.”

Even with Brian’s warnings, it was hard to see Leigh in this state. Aten could feel the trembling of Danny beside him, literal tremors vibrating from the ground around his feet. Simone’s skin grew pale under his grip.

Aten reached out a hand to comfort his friend, but it only grazed his back as Danny marched forward.

His nostrils flared, shifting Simone's weight into one arm so he could point in anger.. “What did you do to Leigh? Give them back!”

Gwen giggled. “Does anyone else hear the irony of that?” Around her a few mooks nodded, sparse, forced laughter echoing Gwen’s own. “I know you may be simple, but I can’t make Leigh do anything, dear. You approach me as if I could give Leigh back, but Leigh is no more mine than yours. It is Leigh you need to speak to.”

“And I choose to stay,” Leigh spoke.

“See? Lovely.” Gwen clapped her hands. “Now, since we’ve cleared that problem up,” Gwen clapped again, the entrance doors swinging closed behind the gang. As the doors snapped closed the servants around the gang closed in, forming a crescent line around the entrance. “Truly a shame,” Gwen said, her acting poor. “I didn’t want to have to do this, just so you know, but you don’t know the kind of pressures I…”

Aten zoned out within the first few words, his eyes buzzing around the room looking for some way out. Something was off, he knew it, maybe Danny would know. “Danny. Psst.”

Danny turned “She’s so boring right?”

“Something’s not right,” Aten whispered. “I feel like we’re forgetting some---where’d Simonne go?”

Danny jerked his head toward the air. “Chandelier.” Aten followed the jerking, his eyes landing on the ornate chandelier hanging above the line of mooks in front of them, a snoring Simonne lying halfway on it, swaying in the air.

“How?” Aten asked.

Danny shrugged. “I just kinda...threw her.”

“Excuse me,” Gwen raised her voice. “Are you even listening?”

“Totally,” Danny exclaimed, a bit too quick.

“Everyword,” Aten yawned.

“We couldn’t tune it off if we tried.” Anka groaned.

“Though why would we ever want to?” Pilen added.

“Classless hicks,” Gwen scoffed, placing a hand on Leigh’s shoulder. “This is the last time I leave Brian in charge of hiring.” Gwen turned, strolling toward the stairs. “Keep it clean, the last thing this tiling needs is a bloodbath.”

“...blood?” The moan echoed around the room, a lite, metallic chime following the words. “Blood?” it repeated, louder, more clear. The metal silenced. “BLOOD!” Simonne boomed, her scream followed by a metallic snap. Simonne lept from the chandelier, letting it fall to the ground under her, turning the tight line of mooks into chaos. Big hands pushing and groping their way to safety. Even Gwen could not escape the initial panic.
Simonne’s feet hit the ground, and launched her into a lunge. Daggers slicing ddown the chest of two servents. A line of blood divided the two sides of the fight. “I might be a hick, but at least I’m alive!” She screamed. Her daggers tore at the no-longer military formation.

“Timothy, Leigh, Jordan!” Gwen shrieked. “Fall back!”



“Aten, you take Leigh!” Danny called out, holding down a grimoire wielding mook in a choke hold.

“Really? Why me?” Aten danced between the stabs of two mooks, dropping to the ground and letting them impale each other.

“You’re the only one I trust not to murder vim.” Danny grabbed the limp grimoire-er, chucking the body into Aten’s attackers, leaving a tiny pile of unconsciousness. “Now go!”

Aten nodded, stomping at the ground to form a springboard of air. He landed outside the chaos of the entry battle and spotted Gwen’s obnoxiously bright dress fly up the stairs. Her guards tailed her, but with their hoods on Aten couldn’t pick Leigh out. Aten sprinted after them, one hand clutching fist of arrows as the other one drew his bow.

“Hey!” Aten pushed his voice into the wind, the greeting turning into an echoing howl as he approached. By the time they turned Aten had already loosed his first stream of arrows, a rapid fire trio of heads barreling into the tallest guard, crippling his legs and leaving a nasty gash on his chest. Leigh and Timothy raised their weapons, a staff and sword respectively, crossing them in an X to defend Gwen.

Aten laughed. “We’ll call that a warning shot.”

Gwen was too far for Aten to read, but he could her feel the smirk in her words. “And I assume there’s something else ‘we’ll’ be doing?”

“If it were up to me there would be no we at all,” Aten said. “No, you are going to let Leigh go, or I am going to loose this arrow. Which would be a shame, because this arrow? It really wants to meet the inside of your heart. Now--”

“Wait, let me guess, you don’t want to do that?” Gwen stepped forward, pushing through the sword and staff guarding her. She knelt down over the crippled mook, taking hold of the arrow lodged in his chest. “You’re not a bad liar, but there’s tell between killers and bluffers.” Gwen stared Aten down, ripping the arrow from her servant’s chest. “Killers don’t talk. They kill.”


Aten dropped his bow, the arrow falling with a clack at his feet. Gwen smirked, turning back to Timothy and Leigh. She held out her bloodstained gloves, Timothy removing them, replacing them with an identical pair in his back pocket. ““Timothy, be a dear and accompany me to the lounge. Leigh, you’re friends have overstayed their welcome. Now, I’m not angry, but if you would please clean up after yourself.” Gwen raised her dress and glided up the remaining steps to the door.

“They aren’t my friends,” Leigh said, pulling vis staff out. “But, it would be my pleasure to take care of them for you.” Leigh strutted towards Aten, drawing vis staff. Lightning sparked around the head, forming an orb inside the C-shaped head.

“Splendid.” Gwen turned, walking out of the room, Tim falling in line behind her.

Aten raised his bow in defense, but even he was too slow. Leigh faded into a blur, apparating in front of Aten, staff raised back for a crushing blow. The blow hit empty air, Aten laying on the floor in a death drop. Aten shot an arrow in between his legs, propelling himself out from under Leigh. Turning on vis own momentum, Leigh went in for slam on Aten. The wooden head slammed into a ruffle of Aten’s vest, the fabric torn apart as Aten jerk into a roll. Aten sprung back to his feet, weaving under a side bash from Leigh.


Leigh went in for another blow. The entire staff cackled with lightning, hard swings turning into quick jabs. Aten slithered between the attacks, the two locked in a dance in the portico atop the stairs. Aten kept close to Leigh, each hit a chance to buy more time for the crew to lend their hands. “Or are they waiting on my aid….” Aten’s distraction cost him. His footing fell out under him before he registered the hit, a hard butt to his gut, the staff like a brand as the lightning seared his skin. Aten’s body tumbled along the marble, thrown against a pillar.

Without haste, Leigh moved to check Aten. Ve lowered vis staff, the head prodded Aten, met with limp muscles and pools of drool and...Leigh pressed passed what the other substance could be. “Pathetic.” Leigh turned Aten over with the butt of vis staff. Aten’s eyes flew open to meet Leigh. The bow pressed to Aten’s chest was already drawn, and now aimed at vim. a blunted arrow bashed into Leigh’s chest.

Three more arrows beat onto Leigh near simultaneously, each shoulder bashed by the blunted steel, before a the third hit vis ribs with a crack. Aten kept another arrow drawn, pointed at the staggering Leigh. With no regard for the arrow, Leigh charged back into fight. Aten loosed his arrow, Leigh ran into it without a flinch. Leigh’s attacks overwhelmed Aten. Ve took control of the dance.

“Leigh, please,” Aten pleaded, hands held up in forfeit. Leigh took the opening and jabbed, Aten forced to leap back against the wall. “We’re here to help you-” He rolled to the side, Leigh’s staff head pummeled into the marble. “Why are you fighting for Gwen? What did they do to you-”

His back crashed into the edges of the corner, while Leigh’s slammed vis staff against his shoulders to hold him down.

“Please-” Aten’s plea was cut by an uppercut, the air knocked out of his lungs. Leight pressed his head against the wall. Vis hand seared against Aten’s chin, the veins in Leigh’s hand soft with a blue glow.

“You know,” Aten rasped. “We’ve never been that close anyway!” Aten opened the palms at his side, balls of lightning erupting atop them. The flash bang loosened Leigh’s grip, Aten following it with a quick punch to vis throat. Staggered, Leigh’s staff was torn from vis hands and chucked down the steps as Aten scrambled to retrieve his own weapon.

Quick to recover, Leigh was already on Aten’s tail before he had fetched his scattered arrows. Leigh moved to strike. The breeze of Leigh’s strike raised the hairs on Aten’s neck. Before the hit landed, Aten had already vaulted into the air and into a flip over Leigh. Aten grabbed at a beam in the network of exposed supports in the ceiling. He swung himself off it, perched like an owl as he landed back atop it. A round of arrows fired at Leigh, but ve swept them away with a simply gust. Aten didn’t mind, already hidden in the shadows above.

“You’ve been a thorn in my side for too long.” Leigh lowered vis staff and traced a crescent around vis feet. Winds began to grow under Leigh’s feet. The staff’s trace marks glowing a through a stormy grey haze hung over it. Aten loosened another round, but they just clacked harmlessly against the marble floor.

Leigh slammed the staff back down into the floor. A roar of thunder tore through the room, a bolt of lightning charged up Leigh’s staff. The ball at the center of the head absorbed all the energy. With a rippling static is erupted into a blinding ball of heat, straight into the air. In a moment Aten’s safe shadows were devoured by the light. A bolt of lightning shot off the orb in a beeline for Aten.

“Nope.” Aten took a step back, his body dropped to the ground like a stone, cushioned on a pocket of air. “How anti climactic-” Aten felt the scorch run down his back. The burn split apart like roots, webbing over his body in a seizing wave before he collapsed.

Leigh strutted over, staffed pressed onto Aten’s neck like a guillotine.

“You know,” Aten groaned. “You could have killed me back there.”

“That was my intent,” Leigh panned. A new ball of lightning began to form inside the staff head, sparks licked Aten’s adam’s apple. Yet Aten still grinned, as if this was some large accident to be anecdote. “Why are you happy?”

“Because.” Aten gripped the bottoms of Leigh’s staff. “I think if you were truly, honestly, devotedly, steadfast in a focused, single mission, or cause-” The ball of lightning surged on Aten’s neck.

Leigh kicked Aten’s arms off vis staff, pinning down his wrists under vis feet. “Stop stalling and answer me.”

Aten stretched his jaw, looking more annoyed than attacked. “If you wanted me dead, you would have done it already.” Aten angled his neck up, getting some awkward eye contact with Leigh.” Something’s been holding back, I can feel it.”

“What you perceive as compassion, is your own desperation and illusion,” Leigh sighed. “Would you not prefer to die with some dignity?”

“Nah.” Aten said. “Dignity is usually too stuffy and boring.. I’d rather die like me: impulsive, self destructive, and most importantly, stubborn.” Aten raised his head in a skull bash against the staff to stagger Leigh’s balance. With vis weight shifted, Leigh’s legs were easily pushed off by Aten. Vis body tumbled forward, Aten tucked into a roll to avoid being crushed.

Aten sprung back up and swept Leigh’s staff from the air, he landed back on shaky footing, while Leigh struggled back to standing, back still turned to Aten. Too easy, Aten thought when he took the swing, and he was right.

“You show some impressive footwork.” Leigh turned on a dime, Aten’s swing caught like a child’s slap. Leigh tore the staff from Aten’s hands, his body falling to the ground with it. “But it’s obvious you’re running on fumes.”

Aten's eyes widened as heat began building on Leigh’s staff again. He winced, turning his head as he heard the crack of thunder run down the wood….but felt nothing - almost as if he'd been removed from the battle. He turned his gaze back up, Leigh’s figure replaced by the back of a shining metal armor, golden locks running down the back. It was radiant, glistening with an ethereal glow.

The stranger had taken hold on Leigh’s staff, the lightning redirected into his body. He glanced down at Aten and winked, smiling through what had to be immense pain. “This is the part where you run, my sultry sandsnake.”

Aten’s head only bobbed. His focus was far from the lethal nature of their situation, instead all his focus was on the stranger. Tracing the strong jawline of his profile. His muscles flexing as he raised a sword to block Leigh’s strike. Aten watched the stranger's lips, studied them as they moved, but his words were faint, a distant echo in his mind. In a haze, Aten barely recognized the shift from soft words to rage filled shouts on his savior’s lips. Aten’s eyes drifted higher, catching the deep amber in the stranger’s eyes, the soft tint of gold that flared as his anger rose.

Leigh and the (handsome) stranger fought in circles around Aten, as if stuck in orbit. A tango anchored around Aten. Leigh snuck a blow into the (handsome) stranger’s side, knocking him into Aten’s lap. “You know,” the (handsome) stranger pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed the sweat off his forehead. “If you’re not going to run, you could at least lend me a hand.” The (handsome_ stranger got back up from the ground, extending a hand for Aten.


“Right!” Aten said, grabbed the stranger’s hand, head turned away in blush as he was pulled into standing. “I’m sorry, you’re just...captivating.”

“Yes.” He nodded solemnly. “That is the burden I carry with me...” While the stranger let his flair for the dramatic take over, Leigh snuck in for a hit. The electrified-butt of vis staff slammed into the stranger’s jaw. “Do you hold no respect for the rules of noble combat?” The blade in his hands was taken over by an orange glow as he slashed in retaliation. “You punk-ass book jockey!” he roared. Flames licked the edge of his blade, Leigh on the retreat as he unleashed his fury.

“I’ll lite up your library and let you and your savage companions burn!” He doubled the grip on his sword, thrusting his blade at the retreating Leigh. Flames spewed from the blade, Leigh was slammed into the ground by a piston of heat. The stranger looked back at Aten. “And you! I save your life, and all you can mustered is a dumbfounded confusion? Fight, dammit!” He kicked Aten’s bow across the ground. “Shoot something!”

“Yessir,” Aten replied, butterflies swarming in his stomach. Aten pulled a crimson flask from his satchel, toasting to his savior before downing the concoction. A warm glow ran over him, his smaller wounds closed, his pain faded into only mild annoyance. “Eugh.” Aten’s face scrunched. “Too much cinnamon.”

“why’dhehavetobecute.” The stranger mumbled, rushing back towards leigh to hide his blush.

Aten fired a round foor cover, the arrows dotting the area just short of Leigh. the stranger---”Hey!” Aten lowered his weapon. “What’s your name anyway?”

The stranger looked back and winked again. He lept into the air, a rose shooting from his sleeve. He clashed weapons with Leigh, the rose drifting between them. Stephan snapped, the rose between them exploding into a fireball. “It’s Stephan!” he exclaimed. His blade cleaved into Leigh’s shoulder, Stephan retreating from the splash of blood.



Aten pulled an arrow out of his quiver. The ornate rope that decorated it tore away, a cable unraveled as Aten fired his shot. The arrow only grazed Leigh, but as it barrelled and to the wall behind vim, Aten was on the move. The other end of the rope clutched in one hand, Aten ran a quick circle around Leigh. The rope hung in the air, Leigh unable to react before the arrow pierced the wall. With a tug, the cable tightened into a choke on Leigh’s chest. Two more rounds around Leigh and Aten went into to tie the knot.

“How...kinky,” the stranger said. “But, whatever works for you.

“I wonder if this has anything to do with my parents never letting me have a dog,” Aten mused as the stranger examined Leigh.

“Now, what’s that beauty?” His eyes caught on the shine from Leigh’s golden necklace. The stranger pried the pendent from under the cable. “You don’t strike me as the flashy-”

The stranger’s face became quite well acquainted with Leigh’s foot as it guided him into the floor. Leigh lept off into the air, the arrow torn out as ve pushed off the wall.

“Enough!” Leigh slammed a roundhouse into Aten, knocking him into the air and sending his arrows scattering into the air. Leigh managed to grab one out of the air, gnawing at the lowest cable with the arrowhead. With vis hands free, Leigh raised one to cover vis wound. vis palm burst out with lightning, cauterizing the wound on sight. The rope unwound around ver. With vis hands free, Leigh raised one to cover vis wound. vis palm burst out with lightning, cauterizing the wound on sight. “This ends now.” Leigh crouched to grab vis staff, raising it once more. T same thunder echoing through the room as the shadows peeled away. Dual bolts of lightning struck the staff, twirling around each other as they burst out towards Aten.

Aten scrambled to his feet. “Praise be to Shu” Aten traced an ankh on his forehead, a vibrant orange glow flushed down his body. His entire body began to shake, the sweat of battle instantly turned to vapor around him. Aten bolted forward in a blur, the shot of lightning missing him entirely. It hovered in front of Stephan’s face for a moment, the lightning pulled back to Aten like he was it’s gravity.

Aten weaved his way in between the pillars around them, the bolt hot on his trail the entire time, sling shotting off the curves of each wildcard dodge Aten pulled. “Why isn’t it disappearing?” Aten shouted. “I can’t keep running forever.”

“It’s using a separate power source.” Stephan cried, holding off jabs from Leigh. “You’re going to have to make it destroy itself.”


“How should I know?” Stephan gripped the tip of his sword for support, holding back a club from Leigh.

“Aren’t mysterious saviors supposed to-” Aten vaulted off one of the beams, one foot landed on top of Leigh’s head, pushing vim off balance. “-know this important information?”
“My deepest apologies, but-”Stephan rolled out from under Leigh’s staff as Aten lept off vis head. Stephan twisted into a slash, his blade driving into Leigh’s waist and knocking her to the ground. “-The pair of you are just as strange to me..”

“Oh, right.” Aten took a turn around the room, lightning lagging behind him. “I’m Aten. that’s Leigh-

“Is this really the best time?” Stephan grunted, trying not to cripple under the taser pressed against his gut.

Aten pounced across the ceiling beams like a puppy, circling the lightning bolt like it was his own tail. “Well not really, something is wrong with vem, I think mind control?”

“That would explain the eyesore around their neck,” Stephan took a swing at the chain, and Leigh lept back. “Just hurry up and bust your balls.”


“Got it.” Aten lept down the stairs. “Hold down the fort, I’m gonna test something.” Aten glided down the stairs on a drift of air, while the bolt behind him quickly gained distance. Aten stumbled into a run when he hit the bottom of the stairs, charging back into the chaos he left. The crew had managed to take down the initial group of guards, but someone must have called for backup, because it seemed like there was a small, mostly unconscious, town littering the floor. Aten leapt from body pile to body pile to the closest mook, a hulking brute towering over Simone. The man was bright scarlet, dotted with stabs from Simone.

Aten slid between the man’s legs, popping up and giving Simone a friendly wave. “How you fairing?”

“Stay outta my way, Tin-Tin, I haven’t a fight like this in years.” Simone lept in for a lunge, crashed into empty air, her enemy already collapsed on the ground. The back of his armor singed black from Leigh’s lightning. “Are you fuckin’ with me?” Simone swerved, pressing her dagger to Aten;s throat. “You don’t steal my kills-”

“Hold, this may-” Aten’s eyes widened as the bolt rose from the scorch mark, recollecting into an orb. Aten patted Simone on the head and dashed back up the stairs to his real, more story significant, battle with Leigh. Behind him the lightning ball was on him again, but lagging quite a bit.

Somehow Leigh’s wooden staff had survived a tango of blows with Stephan’s sharpened, flame covered, steel sword, and the two were still battling each other off when Aten stumbled to a stop. Aten slide into battle, launched into a powerslide as he drew his bow. He slid under the exchanging blows of Leigh and Stephan, loosening a blunt arrow as he passed. The arrow caught Stephan in the gut, the geyser of air under it propelled him into the air, his body draped over a support beam.

Aten sprang back up, clamping his hands down on Leigh’s shoulders. “This will only hurt.” Aten pushed Leigh back. The lightning ball collided.

A surge of sparks ran down leigh’s body, plumes of smoke fuming out from her hood. Leigh clutched a shaking hand to vis neck, fingers twisted in the gold of vis pendant as ve writhed. The chain tugged against vis neck, the skin of vis neck paling under the pressure. All the while, Leigh’s eyes stayed calm and cold as ve stared Aten down, almost oblivious to her insurgent limb. Vis staff arm swung, a gust of wind uplifting ver into the air, a haze of dark vapor raising under foot.

“You will pay for your resistance!” Leigh wailed. Staff raised in the air, another blinding light enveloped the room. Aten’s eyes rung as the thunder boomed around him, the summoned winds slamming him against the far wall. By the time Aten’s eyes adjusted to the light, the orb had grown at least three times the size of his head, pulsing as if it had life itself. The gusts that pinning Aten died, but Aten didn’t show it. His body still pressed against the wall, his only movement from the quivers in his knee.

“Are you really pulling the frozen in fear cliche?” Stephan groaned from above. “I risked my life for you, and you just stand there? Run you chiseled jack rabbit!” He tossed another rose, the petals bursting into flames at Aten’s feet.

Aten whirled into a run, straight forward into the cluster of lightning. At the last moment Aten lurched forward into a summersault, the kiss of sparks setting his vest a flame. Back on his feet, Aten ran into a vault down the stairs and back into his friend’s struggle.



Aten spun around a man locked in swords with Danny, stopping quickly embrace his friend, twirling him in the air before tossing him aside. Pushed through the legs of a flailing flaier, gently lowering Anka to the ground.Wove through a trio kept at bay by Pilen’s walls of flames. Behind him Aten heard the first cackling surge.

“Don’t you dare!” Simone slurred as Aten got closer, Simone’s knife scraping against his neck. Aten pushed forward, circling around the brute over Simone. Her second knife grazed his shoulder as he bolted back up the stairs to Leigh.


Both Leigh and Stephan wore the battle on them. Stephan's eyes swollen and yellowed, blood trickling down his chin and soaking the crest on his chest plate. Leigh’s hair ws singed at the tips, cloak crumbling to ash around the scorch marks, bright red patches of skin exposed underneath.

“Move!” Aten screamed, Stephan knocked aside as Aten lunged toward Leigh. Ve raised vis staff to strike him down, but hit empty Air, Aten already perched on the beam above, a lightning arrow drawn and aimed.


“Fool me twice?” Leigh shook vis head, evading th lightning cluster locked on Aten.

“Something like that.” Aten lept off the beam across the ceiling, loosing his arrow before he started his tumble into the ground. The arrow pierced the cluster, the energy of the bolt sapped away into the head of Aten’s arrow. The point, now a raw ball of electricity and molten iron, blasted onto Leigh. The dripping arrowhead grounded itself against the amulet, the surge of lightning pumped into it. The crystal ruptured, shards shattering into dust as a crimson lightning rippled through the room. The dust settled around the room like a snow, the lightning tinged with crimson. Leigh in the center, crumbled onto vis knees.

Stephan rushed to Leigh’s side, digging the tip of his blade into Leigh’s neck as they trudged back into consciousness. Aten pushed Stephan’s blade away, taking a kneel beside Leigh and holding vim steady. By the time Leigh rose to vis feet the rest of the group had reached the top of the stairs. Danny started to cheer on Aten about his display, but was cut short by Leigh’s first words.

A cutting hiss. “Gwen.”

Spoiler

Stephen: “Can you stop rubbing my abs?”

Aten: “Sorry.”